MBB Announces Non-Con Schedule for 2024-25
The New Mexico Junior College men's basketball program unveiled the team's non-conference schedule for the 2024-25 season this week.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Luke Mackay, NMJC hosts eight non-conference foes at Caster Activity Center before WJCAC play begins in January 2025. The T-Birds' regular season begins at the Otero Classic on Nov. 1-2 where NMJC will open with the host Rattlers, before playing 2024 NJCAA National Tournament qualifier Trinidad State that Saturday.
The 2024-25 home-opener comes on Thursday, Nov. 7 against Redlands, followed by a Friday, Nov. 8 meeting with Cochise College, also in Hobbs.
NMJC will host four more home games in November, welcoming Central Arizona (Nov. 11), Lamar (Nov. 14), NOC-Tonkawa (Nov. 16) and Region V rival Weatherford College (Nov. 21).
The T-Birds will again hit the road for a Thanksgiving trip, playing in the Collin County Classic on Nov. 29-30. Awaiting them will be a rematch with Otero College, as well as the host Collin County on Saturday. The trip to Dallas concludes with a matchup at Dallas College-Richland on Dec. 2.
The non-conference slate wraps up with the T-Birds hosting Arkansas-Cossatot on Dec. 7, followed by a home-and-home with Ranger College to bookend the holiday break on Dec. 11 (@ Ranger) and Jan. 2.
In Mackay's second year as head coach, the Thunderbirds finished 23-9 in the 2023-24 season and were ranked in the NJCAA Poll several times during the regular season. The campaign was highlighted by an upset of No. 1 Collin County in the first round of the Region V Tournament.
Four of the 2024-25 non-conference opponents won at least 20 games in 2023-24, headlined by Trinidad (25), Collin (24), Weatherford (21) and Cochise (21). In all, 12 of NMJC's 14 non-conference opponents are D1, which should help maintain the T-Birds' Top-15 strength of schedule nationally.
"Building on a 23-win season versus one of the most difficult schedules in the NJCAA in 23-24 the Thunderbirds have put together what should be an even more challenging non-conference schedule," said NMJC head coach Luke Mackay. "T-Bird fans will have the opportunity to enjoy some very high-level basketball and talented players on Ron Black Court this year."
NMJC sent nine players from its 2023-24 roster to 4-year programs, five of which signed with Division I programs. The T-Birds return just one player from last year's active roster in Las Cruces native Deuce Benjamin.
Michael Mackey (Hobbs, NM), Marquan Harris (Williamsport, PA) and Victor Ezeh (Nigeria) all redshirted at the JC last year.
NMJC's 11-player incoming class includes seven D1 transfers and three NJCAA transfers.