# 2022–23 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team

The 2022–23 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team represented New Mexico State University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Aggies were led by first-year head coach Greg Heiar and played their home games at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico as members of the Western Athletic Conference. They finished the season 9–15, 2–16 in Western Athletic Conference play to finish in last place. On February 10, 2023, the school announced the men's basketball program's season would be cancelled based on new reports of violations of university policies. The rest of the team's games were canceled and were deemed forfeits by the WAC. The NCAA does not recognize the forfeited games as part of the team's overall record. They did not take part in the WAC Tournament.
On November 19, 2022, there were reports of a shooting between a student attending the University of New Mexico and a New Mexico State basketball player, leaving the student dead. The basketball player was later identified as Mike Peake, who was wounded on the UNM main campus in Albuquerque. A day later, on November 20, 2022, the New Mexico State Police released details of the shooting, including the arrest of 17-year old Mya Hill. The next day, the New Mexico State Police confirmed a second arrest relating to the shooting, arresting 19-year old Jonathan Smith.
The Aggies and Lobos were slated to renew the Rio Grande Rivalry on the night of the shooting, but the game was postponed. Three days later, both schools decided to cancel the Rio Grande Rivalry for the season due to safety concerns. On December 5, NM State Athletic Director Mario Moccia announced the indefinite suspension of the 21-year old Mike Peake. No charges have been filed against Peake in what was called a "self-defense situation", but there are two investigations surrounding the shooting.
On February 10, New Mexico State University announced the men's basketball program's season would be cancelled based on new reports of violations of university policies. Its entire coaching staff was placed on administrative leave as a result. KTSM reported that the season was suspended because of allegations of hazing by at least three different players multiple times.
On February 14, head coach Greg Heiar was officially fired by NMSU. On March 24, the school named Sam Houston head coach Jason Hooten the team's new head coach.
The season marked the school's last in the Western Athletic Conference. The school joined Conference USA in 2023.

## Previous season

The Aggies finished the 2021–22 season 27–7, 14–4 in WAC play to finish in a three-way tie for the regular season championship with Seattle and Stephen F. Austin. As the No. 1 seed in the WAC tournament, they defeated Grand Canyon and Abilene Christian to win the tournament championship. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 12 seed in the West region. There they upset No. 5-seeded UConn in the First Round before losing to No. 4-seeded Arkansas in the Second Round.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| November 2, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Western New Mexico | W 99–75 | – | 21 – Washington | 8 – Muhammad | 9 – Washington | Pan American Center (4,146) Las Cruces, NM |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 7, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ+ | New Mexico Highlands | W 101–52 | 1–0 | 20 – Muhammad | 10 – Washington | 10 – Washington | Pan American Center (5,178) Las Cruces, NM |
| November 12, 2022* 7:00 pm, CUSA.tv | at UTEP Battle of I-10 | L 64–67 | 1–1 | 20 – Pinson | 12 – Washington | 4 – Pinson | Don Haskins Center (11,315) El Paso, TX |
| November 19, 2022* 5:00 pm, MW Network | at New Mexico Rio Grande Rivalry | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | The Pit Albuquerque, NM |
| November 25, 2022* 7:30 pm, BeTheBeast | vs. San Diego Las Vegas Holiday Classic Semifinals | W 90–77 | 2–1 | 25 – Pinson | 8 – Bradley | 9 – Washington | Orleans Arena Paradise, NV |
| November 26, 2022* 7:30 pm, BeTheBeast | vs. UC Irvine Las Vegas Holiday Classic Championship | L 68–85 | 2–2 | 20 – Roy | 9 – Gordon | 4 – Washington | Orleans Arena Paradise, NV |
| November 30, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ+ | UTEP Battle of I-10 | W 95–70 | 3–2 | 23 – Roy | 8 – 2 Tied | 5 – Washington | Pan American Center (6,332) Las Cruces, NM |
| December 3, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ+ | New Mexico Rio Grande Rivalry | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM |
| December 5, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | Simon Fraser | W 77–35 | 4–2 | 23 – Odunewu | 10 – Odunewu | 5 – Washington | Pan American Center (4,346) Las Cruces, NM |
| December 7, 2022* 8:00 pm | at Santa Clara | L 65–66 | 4–3 | 20 – Washington | 8 – Washington | 7 – Pinson | Leavey Center (1,039) Santa Clara, CA |
| December 11, 2022* 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Duquesne | W 73–60 | 5–3 | 17 – Muhammad | 11 – Gordon | 6 – Pinson | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (1,834) Pittsburgh, PA |
| December 14, 2022* 8:00 pm, WCC Network | at Saint Mary's | L 68–81 | 5–4 | 20 – Washington | 4 – 2 Tied | 1 – Pinson | University Credit Union Pavilion (2,844) Moraga, CA |
| December 18, 2022* 4:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Northern New Mexico | W 95–53 | 6–4 | 26 – Avery | 10 – 2 Tied | 7 – Washington | Pan American Center (4,460) Las Cruces, NM |
| December 21, 2022* 5:30 pm | vs. Kent State Sun Bowl Invitational | L 63–73 | 6–5 | 17 – Muhammad | 10 – Muhammad | 4 – Pinson | Don Haskins Center El Paso, TX |
| December 22, 2022* 5:30 pm | vs. North Carolina A&T Sun Bowl Invitational | W 85–76 | 7–5 | 20 – 2 Tied | 10 – Avery | 6 – Washington | Don Haskins Center (1,225) El Paso, TX |
| WAC regular season |||||||||
| December 28, 2022 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ+ | Southern Utah | L 75–79 | 7–6 (0–1) | 18 – Washington | 12 – Washington | 4 – 2 Tied | Pan American Center (4,942) Las Cruces, NM |
| December 31, 2022 4:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Sam Houston | L 62–75 | 7–7 (0–2) | 12 – 2 Tied | 5 – Avery | 5 – Washington | Pan American Center (4,705) Las Cruces, NM |
| January 4, 2023 5:30 pm, ESPN+ | at Stephen F. Austin | L 60–69 | 7–8 (0–3) | 20 – Pinson | 10 – Avery | 7 – Pinson | William R. Johnson Coliseum (2,644) Nacogdoches, TX |
| January 7, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | California Baptist | L 61–70 | 7–9 (0–4) | 20 – Washington | 9 – Muhammad | 3 – Pinson | Pan American Center (5,092) Las Cruces, NM |
| January 12, 2023 8:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Seattle | L 66–69 | 7–10 (0–5) | 11 – 2 Tied | 7 – 2 Tied | 8 – Pinson | Climate Pledge Arena (2,265) Seattle, WA |
| January 14, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | UT Arlington | L 55–66 | 7–11 (0–6) | 12 – Pinson | 7 – 2 Tied | 2 – 2 Tied | Pan American Center (4,864) Las Cruces, NM |
| January 19, 2023 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Southern Utah | L 76–111 | 7–12 (0–7) | 17 – Pinson | 4 – 3 Tied | 4 – Pinson | America First Event Center (2,093) Cedar City, UT |
| January 21, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Utah Tech | L 76–89 | 7–13 (0–8) | 20 – Roy | 5 – 3 Tied | 4 – 2 Tied | Burns Arena (1,878) St. George, UT |
| January 28, 2023 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Utah Valley | L 72–77 | 7–14 (0–9) | 23 – Roy | 11 – Washington | 5 – Washington | UCCU Center (2,915) Orem, UT |
| February 1, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Stephen F. Austin | W 73–67 | 8–14 (1–9) | 15 – Gordon | 11 – Muhammad | 6 – Pinson | Pan American Center (5,107) Las Cruces, NM |
| February 4, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Seattle | W 82–75 | 9–14 (2–9) | 15 – Roy | 6 – Roy | 7 – Pinson | Pan American Center (4,948) Las Cruces, NM |
| February 8, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Grand Canyon | L 67–78 | 9–15 (2–10) | 22 – Pinson | 10 – Washington | 5 – Washington | GCU Arena (7,076) Phoenix, AZ |
| February 11, 2023 8:00 pm, ESPN+ | at California Baptist | L 0–2 Forfeit | 9–15 (2–11) | – | – | – | CBU Events Center Riverside, CA |
| February 15, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Abilene Christian | L 0–2 Forfeit | 9–15 (2–12) | – | – | – | Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM |
| February 18, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Texas–Rio Grande Valley | L 0–2 Forfeit | 9–15 (2–13) | – | – | – | Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM |
| February 22, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+/BSAZ | Grand Canyon | L 0–2 Forfeit | 9–15 (2–14) | – | – | – | Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM |
| March 1, 2023 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Abilene Christian | L 0–2 Forfeit | 9–15 (2–15) | - – | – | – | Moody Coliseum Abilene, TX |
| March 3, 2023 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | at Tarleton | L 0–2 Forfeit | 9–15 (2–16) | - – | – | – | Wisdom Gym Stephenville, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Mountain. |||||||||
Sources