RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Jemel Jones scored 26 points to lead New Mexico State to a 72-63 men’s basketball victory over Louisiana Tech on Wednesday night at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Aggies (11-11, 4-5 Conference USA) used a 9-0 run early in the second half to pull away after trailing 32-31 at halftime. Jones, a junior from Chicago, added five assists. Scooter Williams led the Bulldogs (12-10, 5-4) with 22 points. New Mexico State’s defense was pivotal, holding Louisiana Tech to 34.4% shooting from the field. The Aggies also forced 11 turnovers, converting them into 16 points. Despite being outrebounded 20-9 on the offensive glass, New Mexico State shot 49.1% from the floor to secure the road win. Attendance was 2,127.

RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Jemel Jones scored 26 points and New Mexico State executed with superior efficiency in the second half to secure a 72-63 road victory over Louisiana Tech in a Conference USA men’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Aggies, who snapped a three-game losing streak, improved to 11-11 overall. The Bulldogs fell to 12-10. The result defied the pregame statistical projections, which heavily favored Louisiana Tech at home. The game’s decisive stretch came early in the second half. After trailing 32-31 at halftime, New Mexico State opened the final period with a 13-5 run to seize control. Jones, a 6-foot-4 guard from Chicago, was the catalyst, scoring six points during the surge. His driving layup at the 18-minute mark gave the Aggies a 36-34 lead they would not relinquish. The run was capped by a Jae’Coby Osborne layup off a Gabe Pickens assist, pushing the advantage to 44-37. Louisiana Tech, plagued by poor shooting throughout the contest, could not mount a sustained response. The Bulldogs shot just 34.4% from the field for the game and a frigid 25.9% from three-point range. They also struggled at the free-throw line, converting only 14 of 25 attempts. New Mexico State, by contrast, found a rhythm after the break, shooting 48.6% in the second half. While the Aggies were outrebounded 45-33 overall and allowed 20 offensive boards, they mitigated that disadvantage by forcing 11 turnovers and committing only 11 themselves. They also dished out nine assists to Louisiana Tech’s six and recorded nine steals. Jones, who added five assists in 29 minutes, was the standout performer. His 26-point effort marked a season high and provided a critical offensive lift. He was supported by forward Julius Mims of Billings, Montana, who contributed 13 points, two blocks and strong interior defense. Scooter Williams led Louisiana Tech with 22 points, but his scoring came on 7-of-19 shooting. Will Allen added 10 points off the bench for the Bulldogs. The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. Louisiana Tech built its largest lead at 22-15 following a DJ Dudley layup with 9:24 remaining, but the Aggies chipped away. A late 7-0 run by New Mexico State, highlighted by a three-pointer from Elijah Elliott and an Osborne dunk, gave them a brief lead before the Bulldogs closed the half with five straight points to take a one-point edge into the locker room. The second half, however, belonged to the visitors. After New Mexico State established its seven-point lead, Louisiana Tech managed to close the gap to 54-51 on a Scooter Williams three-pointer with 4:17 to play. The Aggies responded immediately, as Jones answered with a clutch three-pointer on the ensuing possession. Louisiana Tech never got within a single possession again, as New Mexico State closed the game by making 11 of 15 free throws in the final 3:56 to seal the victory. The Aggies finished the game shooting 49.1% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Their offensive rating of 112.3 on 64 possessions starkly outpaced Louisiana Tech’s 98.6 on an equal number of trips, underscoring the efficiency gap that decided the contest. New Mexico State looks to build momentum when it travels to face UTEP on Saturday. Louisiana Tech will aim to regroup at home against Sam Houston on the same day.

Preview: New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Two Conference USA men’s basketball teams looking to halt slides will meet Wednesday night when the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs host the New Mexico State Aggies at the Thomas Assembly Center. Louisiana Tech (12-9) has dropped two of its last three, including an 83-67 road loss at Sam Houston on Saturday. The Bulldogs will aim to rediscover their home-court advantage, where they are 8-3 this season. New Mexico State (10-11) arrives on a five-game losing streak, most recently a 76-53 defeat at Kennesaw State. The Aggies have struggled offensively during the skid, failing to reach 65 points in three of those losses. A key matchup will feature two of the conference’s recent standout performers. For New Mexico State, forward Julius Mims is coming off a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Kennesaw State. Over his last five games, Mims is averaging 12.2 points and 8.6 rebounds. Louisiana Tech will counter with guard Scooter Williams, who has provided a significant scoring spark. Williams is averaging 19.7 points over his last three contests, highlighted by a 28-point performance in a win over Kennesaw State on Jan. 23. The Bulldogs won the earlier meeting this season, a 75-63 victory in Las Cruces on Dec. 7. In that game, Louisiana Tech’s defense forced 18 Aggie turnovers. Wednesday’s contest is critical for both teams’ positioning in the Conference USA standings ahead of the final month of the regular season. Following this game, Louisiana Tech will host Sam Houston on Saturday, while New Mexico State travels to face UTEP.