SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Northern New Mexico College men's basketball team opened its season with a pair of non-conference road losses to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical and Ottawa (AZ) on Tuesday and Wednesday.
 
Embry-Riddle 98, Northern N.M. 91

Diego Sharp led the Eagles with 29 points on an efficient 11-of-15 shooting performance, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. The guard also added 2-of-2 from the free throw line while contributing four rebounds and two assists. Sharp's offensive production was complemented by his defensive effort, recording one steal during his 25 minutes on the court.

Ja'Kwon Hill finished with 23 points in 38 minutes of action, connecting on 8-of-13 field goal attempts and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. The guard added two rebounds and five assists while going 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Harkirath Makhar contributed 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-10 from three-point territory, while adding six rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes of play.

Jesus Mendoza rounded out the double-digit scorers for Northern New Mexico with 12 points, all coming from beyond the arc where he shot 4-of-8. Kevin Jameison added 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting in 27 minutes.

As a team, the Eagles shot 33-of-63 (52.4%) from the field and 18-of-34 (52.9%) from three-point range, but were outscored 47-32 in the first half, creating a deficit they couldn't overcome despite outscoring Embry-Riddle 59-51 in the second half.
 
Ottawa 72, Northern N.M. 68

Hill led the Eagles with 21 points in 39 minutes of action, connecting on 7-of-16 field goal attempts and an impressive 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. The guard added 2-of-2 from the free throw line while contributing three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Makhar also finished with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point territory. The guard added one rebound, two assists, and two steals in 29 minutes of play. Jesus Mendoza contributed 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with all but two points coming from beyond the arc where he shot 4-of-6, while adding two rebounds and one assist in 28 minutes.

Diego Sharp added 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a crucial three-pointer that gave the Eagles a six-point lead midway through the second half. Kevin Jameison grabbed three rebounds and recorded three blocks in 31 minutes of action.

As a team, Northern New Mexico shot 24-of-54 (44.4%) from the field and an impressive 15-of-24 (62.5%) from three-point range but were outscored 37-35 in the first half and 35-33 in the second half in the four-point defeat.

The Eagles will look ahead to Southwestern Christian on November 7, followed by Oklahoma Panhandle State on November 8. Both games will be on the road.