Tournament begins
New Mexico State Aggies are part of opening round
LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State basketball players were asked, “What is New Mexico State?” in a recent press conference.
“Togetherness and griminess,” was the response by Aggies junior point AJ Harris.
Togetherness and family are descriptions often used to describe the cohesiveness of this year’s 30-4 Aggies team despite the fact that 10 players are new this season.
“We hang out with each other off and on the court all the time,” Harris said. “We are always talking to each other. It’s a family here and that’s what it’s all about. We take that to heart.”
NMSU head coach Chris Jans does not have a set formula for how to piece together transfers. But this year’s team has integrated 10 new players (seven transfers) to help the Aggies win 19 straight games and a school record 30 games.
There is just enough experience
The point guard position is a leadership position by nature, but Harris, as well as backup Shunn Buchanan, have helped new players come in and be productive this season.
“I’ve been here longer than some of these guys and I’ve been to March Madness before,” Harris said. “It’s just the experience that I have. I have to be the captain of the team this weekend and the head of the snake.”
Harris is one of three Division I transfers on the Aggies roster. He sat out the 2016-17 11:30 a.m. Thursday on TNT — No. 12 New Mexico State vs. No. 5 Auburn Note: Fans can watch the game on the March Madness Live website (with a paid TV subscription), or on a mobile or tablet device, Amazon devices, Roku and on Xbox One with the NCAA March Madness Live app.
season after transferring from Ohio State.
JoJo Zamora sat out last year after transferring from Utah and CJ Bobbitt is a transfer from Denver.
Bobbitt and Zamora, along with five junior college additions, have bought into the family atmosphere, with help from the returners, to help send the Aggies back to the