For many years, the New Mexico State Aggies have flown under the radar as one of the top mid-majors in college basketball. The Aggies are always a team to watch come March, which is why it can be a challenge for fans to find cheap New Mexico State basketball tickets. They are in the unique position of having both a rich history and recent success. That sustained success by the Aggies has kept up the high demand for last-minute New Mexico State basketball tickets and makes the Aggies one of the mid-majors worth watching in the years to come.

Lucky with Lou

New Mexico State first put itself on the college basketball map after Lou Henson was hired as head coach in 1966. Starting in his second season, Henson led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons. That stretch included back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 1968 and 1969, as well as an incredible 27-3 season during the 1969-70 campaign that ended with the first Final Four appearance in New Mexico State history.

The Second Coming

After Henson left the program in 1975, the Aggies suffered through a dark period that lasted through the 1980s. However, Neil McCarthy got New Mexico State back on track, winning the Big West championship and returning to the NCAA Tournament in 1990. McCarthy ended up taking the Aggies to the Big Dance in five straight seasons, including a Sweet 16 run in 1992. When McCarthy’s tenure ended with NCAA sanctions, they turned to Henson, who returned to Las Cruces to help stabilize the program.

WAC Kings

Henson’s retirement in 2005 coincided with New Mexico State moving to the WAC and the Aggies being rejuvenated. Since joining the WAC, New Mexico State has finished among the top-3 teams in the conference virtually every season. The Aggies also made eight NCAA Tournament appearances during the 2010s, making it obvious that they are the pre-eminent team in the WAC and among the most consistent mid-majors in all of college basketball.