NMHU men's hoops hosts OPSU on Tuesday, play exhibition at New Mexico State on Wednesday

LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands men's basketball team puts its three-game win streak on the line as it hosts Oklahoma Panhandle State on Tuesday before driving south on I-25 Wednesday to take on New Mexico State on Wednesday in an exhibition contest.

COWBOYS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021-22 STATISTICS
The Cowboys won their third game in a row with an 83-69 victory at Northern New Mexico in Espanola on Wednesday. Ja' Vary Christmas led five NMHU players in double figures with 20 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists while Tyler Rodgers scored 14 points - going 4-for-6 from 3-point range), Marcus Brown had 13 points, Bryce Sanchious had 10 points and eight rebounds and Will Johnson also added 10 points and eight boards.

NMHU has featured a balanced attack through four games with Christmas leading th team in scoring at 17.0 points per game (going 9-for-17 from 3-point range) to go along with 3.0 assists while Desmond Carpenter is averaging 16.8 points, 3.8 steals, 3.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds, Marcus Brown is at 16.3 points per game and Darius Harrison is averaging 11.5 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds.

Per usual, the Cowboys are a top-20 team in the nation in scoring as they are averaging 93.8 points per game - good for 16th in the nation and first in the RMAC. This is helped by ranking 12th in the country (tops in the RMAC) in 3-point field goal percentage at 44.4 percent. They are also 22nd in the nation and first in the RMAC in turnover margin (plus-6.2) and 23rd in Division II and second in the RMAC in turnovers forced (18.5).

OPSU HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021-22 STATISTICS
The Aggies head the week (they played Eastern New Mexico on Monday night) having lost 77-65 Saturady in a SAC contest against Southwestern Christian. Rodrigo Christian and Jalen Thomas led the way with 12 points apiece on a night where OPSU shot just 34.8 percent from the field.

Rayquan Elliott leads the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Thomas is second on the team at 13.3 points per game along with 4.3 rebounds. 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals while DK Sumo is averaging 10.7 points and leads the team at 2.8 assists and 2.3 steals per contest while shooting 47.4 percent from 3-point range (9-for-19).

NMSU HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021-22 STATISTICS
The Aggies bounced back from its first loss of the season (an 85-58 loss to Utah State) by capping the Myrtle Beach Invitational with an 80-66 victory over Indiana State. Donnie Tillman led the way for NMSU with 23 points while Teddy Allen and Will McNair Jr. had 12 points apiece.

Allen heads into the game leading the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game to go alogn with 5.0 rebounds  while Sir'Jabari Rice is averaging 12.2 poitns, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists and Tillman is at 11.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists.