LAS CRUCES, N.M.  – Junior Lafayette Rutledge came off the bench for five 3-pointers and a team-high 23 points, but New Mexico State shot 62 percent from the field and overcame a halftime deficit to defeat the Nicholls State University men's basketball team, 86-74, Tuesday night at Pan American Arena.
 
Rutledge, Ja'Dante' Frye (17 points) and Johnathan Bell (16) all reached double figures in the scoring at the break as Nicholls (2-3) led the Aggies, 44-43, helped by the Colonels' own 62 percent shooting clip. Following the intermission, NMSU broke a 47-all tie with a 12-0 run early in the second half and never looked back.
 
Nicholls shot 51 percent for the game and made 9-of-22 3-pointers, but the defense had no answer for the Aggies on the other end of the court. The Aggies shot over 60 percent in each half and finished the game 8-of-13 from behind the arc.
 
Rutledge had his own strong showing from long range, sinking 5-of-9. Bell connected on two 3-pointers and Frye added one. Six of the 3-balls came in the opening half, which helped Nicholls hold a one-point lead after a total of 11 ties and 10 lead changes.
 
New Mexico State (4-2) was led by Jamerrio Jones, who just missed out on a double-double with 24 points and nine rebounds. Braxton Huggins also had a solid game in the scorebook, netting 21 points and was 5-of-6 from 3-point range.
 
The Colonels will continue the San Diego Classic with two games in Birmingham this weekend. Nicholls will take on Bethune-Cookman on Friday at 2 p.m. and follows up with a 7 p.m. matchup at Samford on Sunday.