LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Returning to action for the first time in 2025, NM State (8-6, 1-0 CUSA) played host to Sam Houston (7-7, 0-1 CUSA) in both teams' Conference USA opener. Behind spectacular performances from Christian Cook (25 points), and Peter Filipovity (20 points, seven rebounds), the Aggies outlasted the Bearkats in a 75-71 decision.  

Securing the opening tip, the Bearkats got on the board first with five points in a flurry. NM State's leading scorer Christian Cook (14.9 points per game) buried the first Aggie bucket of 2025 with a triple from the right-corner. Graduate forward Peter Filipovity tallied the second basket and second 3-pointer of the contest, though the Aggies would trail 10-6 at the under-12 media timeout. 

Entering the contest off the bench, Robert Carpenter poured in five quick points to keep the Crimson & White within striking distance (17-13). In the middle of a 10-0 Aggie run spearheaded by senior guards Christian Cook and Dionte Bostick, the Aggies took their first lead of the contest, growing their edge to five with six minutes in the opening half (25-20). 

Back-to-back triples by Cook and Jaden Harris gave the Aggies their first double-digit lead of the contest, 34-24 with three and a half minutes left in the opening stanza. The home side would take a 38-30 advantage into the locker room behind a game-high 12 points from Cook. NM State gained separation in both fast-break points (6-0) and bench points (12-4) in the opening half; while holding the Bearkats to 2-of-9 from behind the arc along with five forced turnovers.

Less than 90 seconds into the second frame, back-to-back Sam Houston scores shrunk the NM State lead to just three (38-35). A second half scoring outburst by Peter Filipovity kept the Aggies in front of the Bearkats throughout much of the second half; though four straight points by Sam Houston guard Marcus Boykin reclaimed the Bearkats' lead at the 9:37 mark - their first lead since the 8:29 mark in the opening stanza (20-19). 

Down the stretch of an intense conference opener, the lead changed hands four times, never swelling beyond three points for the Bearkats or Aggies. The Crimson & White leaned on their backcourt in crunch time, with Cook and Zawdie Jackson scoring or assisting on 20 of the Aggies' last 24 points; including a 9-for-10 performance at the charity stripe. 

As the final buzzer sounded, the Aggies came away victorious in their first Conference USA bout of the season, 75-71. In less than 48 hours, NM State competes in their second game of conference action against LA Tech on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. MT.

NUMBERS OF NOTE   

• Head Coach Jason Hooten earned his first victory over the Bearkats, after coaching Sam Houston from 2010-23 and amassing 261 wins.

• Christian Cook (25) and Peter Filipovity (20) each scored 20-plus points in the win. The duo became the first two Aggies to score 20 or more in a single game since Cook (27) and Robert Carpenter (20) at New Mexico on Dec. 7, 2024.

• Filipovity recorded his fourth double-digit scoring performance in the past five games, dating back to his 10-point outing at Texas on Dec. 12.

• Thursday's outing was the Hungary native's season-high point total, setting a new personal best in the Crimson & White.

• Cook recorded his 11th double-digit scoring performance of the season, including his seventh straight.

• Following the 75-71 victory on Thursday night, the Aggies improved to 2-0 all-time in Conference USA openers. Last season, NM State hosted I-10 rival UTEP in a nationally televised contest that the Aggies won 63-53.

For complete coverage of NM State Men's Basketball, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateMBB), Instagram (@NMStateMBB), and like us on Facebook (NMStateMBB).   

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