Box Score
SAN DIEGO - NM State saw its season come to an end with a 79-68 loss to No. 5 seed Clemson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday. The Aggies finish the season 28-6.
Zach Lofton led all players with 29 points, while Jemerrio Jones posted his 21st double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
NM State, which entered the game ranked fifth nationally in field goal percentage defense (39.2) and ninth in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.8), allowed the Tigers to shoot 56 percent from the floor and 43 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Aggies connected on just 39 percent from the field, 36 percent from three-point range and 65 percent from the free throw line on the game. NM State edged the Tigers on the boards, 32-28.
After a tie at 15, poor shooting plagued the Aggies and allowed Clemson to take a 12-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
Clemson led by as many as 18 in the second half, but NM State slowly chipped away. With 5:57 left in the game, the Aggies were able to cut it to six, 68-62, but Clemson scored the next eight points to put the game out of reach.