New Mexico State set to face Fresno State in Cancun Challenge semifinals

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State men’s basketball team will take on Fresno State in the Cancun Challenge on Tuesday in Mexico. The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. MT on CBS Sports Network.

The last time out, NM State handled business with a comeback win over Northern Colorado 76-71. The Aggies are looking to make a statement in the Cancun Challenge ahead of its contest against Fresno State. They will play either James Madison or SIU depending on the outcome.

The Bulldogs are coming off a home win against Morgan State at home 87-68. They are looking to build some momentum against the Aggies Tuesday evening.

Entering the season, NM State is the only program in the country with an entirely new roster as zero players from the 2022-23 campaign will take the floor for the Aggies this season.

Tasked with building a roster from scratch that is also expected to be competitive immediately, Head Coach Jason Hooten opted to bring in guys with experience as all but one Aggie on this year’s roster has played basketball beyond the high school level.

This includes 12 individuals with collegiate experience and one with experience in the NBA Global Academy. Of the 13 players that have collegiate experience, eight have experience at the Division I level.

One of those players, Femi Odukale, received an immediate transfer waiver from the NCAA after transferring from Seton Hall in the offseason. Odukale scored 18 points in his NMSU debut vs. UNC.