NCAAB Game Preview - New Mexico State at Saint Mary's

Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:00 PM EST

No. 22 Saint Mary's is a vision of stability with coach Randy Bennett signing a 10-year contract extension Friday through the 2026-27 season.

New Mexico State, on the other hand, is a program in flux. The Aggies are playing for their third coach in as many years -- Chris Jans, who is getting a second chance at the Division I level after he violated a morals clause in his contract with Bowling Green and was dismissed in 2014-15, his first and only season there.

The Gaels, 1-0 after an 85-68 win Saturday over visiting Saint Francis (Pa.), host New Mexico State on Monday night. The Aggies (1-0) won their opener 81-55 over East Central (Okla.) University in Las Cruces, N.M., on Friday.

Jans has taken over a program that won 28 games last season under Paul Weir, who replaced Marvin Menzies (now UNLV's coach) and then bolted after one season to coach rival New Mexico.

The Aggies shot 1 of 16 from 3-point range in the first half Friday, prompting Jans during his halftime speech to challenge his players to a shooting competition in practice the next day. They responded by shooting 55.6 from the floor, including 5 of 11 from beyond the arc, in the second half.

"They didn't take kindly to that," Jans said of his challenge to his players. "I really tried to ease up on it and get them to not worry about it as much. They have responded pretty well. Hopefully (the shooting turnaround) will give them some confidence moving forward."

Graduate transfer Zach Lofton, formerly of Texas Southern, led New Mexico State with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Another transfer, former Ohio State guard A.J. Harris, had 12 points and six assists.

Harris and Lofton were among seven newcomers who played in the opener. Top returner, senior forward Jemerrio Jones, tallied 19 points and 19 rebounds.

Saint Mary's returns four seniors, three of them in their fifth year in the program, and has only one incoming freshman. The Gaels, coming off a Round of 32 finish in the NCAA tournament last year, clicked in their season-opener and that was reflective in its shooting and assist total.

They shot 53.8 percent for the game and made 12 of 26 shots from beyond the 3-point line. The Gaels had 24 assists.

"Offensively we were very efficient and we were good on the boards," said Bennett, whose team won the rebounding battle 36-22. "It was good for us to play (Saint Francis) because they're good offensively and exposed some things, especially our on-ball defensive coverage."

Senior trio Calvin Hermanson, Jock Landale and Emmett Naar were the key contributors. Hermanson finished 9 of 10 from the floor, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, and finished with 24 points. Landale had 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and pulled down eight rebounds. Naar had 12 assists.

Hermanson, a 6-foot-6 wing player, made his first nine shots from the field.