# 1998–99 New Mexico State Aggies basketball team

The 1998–99 New Mexico State Aggies basketball team represented New Mexico State University in the 1998–99 college basketball season. This was Lou Henson's 2nd season as head coach at his alma mater. The Aggies played their home games at Pan American Center and competed in the Big West Conference. They finished the season 23–10, 12–4 in Big West play to tie for the conference regular season title. They won the Big West tournament, and received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 14 seed in the Midwest region.
In the opening round, New Mexico State was defeated by No. 3 seed and defending National champion Kentucky, 82–60.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Nov 13, 1998* | | at UTEP | W 59–57 | 1–0 | Don Haskins Center El Paso, Texas |
| Nov 20, 1998* | | vs. Wisconsin | W 66–52 | 2–0 | Carlson Center Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Nov 21, 1998* | | vs. No. 19 Arkansas | L 60–66 | 2–1 | Carlson Center Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Nov 22, 1998* | | at Alaska-Fairbanks | L 65–71 | 2–2 | Carlson Center Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Nov 25, 1998* | | at Texas Tech | L 43–70 | 2–3 | Lubbock Municipal Coliseum Lubbock, Texas |
| Nov 28, 1998* | | at UTEP | W 77–66 | 3–3 | Don Haskins Center El Paso, Texas |
| Dec 1, 1998* | | Western New Mexico | W 92–64 | 4–3 | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Dec 15, 1998* | | Texas Southern | W 82–46 | 5–3 | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Dec 19, 1998* | | at Washington | L 53–73 | 5–4 | Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, Washington |
| Dec 22, 1998* | | at San Diego State | W 66–55 | 6–4 | Cox Arena San Diego, California |
| Dec 29, 1998* | | Alaska-Fairbanks | W 78–64 | 7–4 | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Jan 2, 1999* | | at No. 15 New Mexico | L 66–77 | 7–5 | University Arena Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Jan 7, 1999 | | at Cal State Fullerton | W 61–54 | 8–5 (1–0) | Titan Gym Fullerton, California |
| Jan 9, 1999 | | at UC Irvine | W 60–56 | 9–5 (2–0) | Bren Events Center Irvine, California |
| Jan 14, 1999 | | Long Beach State | W 60–46 | 10–5 (3–0) | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Jan 16, 1999 | | Pacific | W 66–61 | 11–5 (4–0) | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Jan 19, 1999* | | No. 12 New Mexico | W 76–55 | 12–5 | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Jan 21, 1999 | | North Texas | W 89–80 | 13–5 (5–0) | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Jan 23, 1999 | | UC Santa Barbara | W 83–61 | 14–5 (6–0) | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Jan 28, 1999 | | at Nevada | W 75–63 | 15–5 (7–0) | Lawlor Events Center Reno, Nevada |
| Jan 30, 1999 | | at Utah State | L 54–61 | 15–6 (7–1) | Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Logan, Utah |
| Feb 6, 1999 | | Boise State | L 48–67 | 15–7 (7–2) | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Feb 8, 1999 | | Idaho | W 80–73 | 16–7 (8–2) | Pan American Center Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Feb 11, 1999 | | at Idaho | L 78–82 | 16–8 (8–3) | Cowan Spectrum Moscow, Idaho |
| Big West tournament ||||||
| Mar 4, 1999* | | vs. Pacific Quarterfinals | W 89–78 | 21–9 | Lawlor Events Center Reno, Nevada |
| Mar 5, 1999* | | vs. UC Santa Barbara Semifinals | W 78–67 | 22–9 | Lawlor Events Center Reno, Nevada |
| Mar 6, 1999* | | vs. Boise State Championship game | W 79–69 | 23–9 | Lawlor Events Center Reno, Nevada |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| Mar 12, 1999* | (14 MW) | vs. (3 MW) No. 8 Kentucky First round | L 60–82 | 23–10 | Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. MW=Midwest. All times are in Mountain Time. ||||||