New Mexico St. suspends program, staff placed on paid leave

NMSU head basketball coach Greg Heiar reacts at a game against UTEP on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Utep Men S Basketball Vs Nmsu At The Pan American Center

Credit: GABY VELASQUEZ/ EL PASO TIMES / USA TODAY NETWORK

New Mexico State suspended its men’s basketball program “until further notice” amid an investigation into potential violations of university policy, the school announced in a statement Friday night.

The program’s coaching staff was placed on paid administrative leave while the allegations, which were not detailed, are investigated.

New Mexico State had a game scheduled for Saturday against WAC opponent California Baptist. That game won’t be played, nor will other games as long as the program is suspended.

Per the university’s statement, the latest allegations are not related to an incident that took place in the early hours of Nov. 19 when the Aggies had traveled to play New Mexico. New Mexico State player Mike Peake was involved in a shootout with a New Mexico student on UNM’s Albuquerque campus, according to police.

Per the police report, four New Mexico students lured Peake to campus, and he was shot in the leg in an altercation. Peake reportedly had brought a gun with him and fired back, killing a 19-year-old student.

Peake was indefinitely suspended from the team during an investigation.

New Mexico State’s head coach is Greg Heiar, hired just last March to replace Chris Jans, who departed for the same role at Mississippi State.

The Aggies are in last place in the WAC with a 2-10 league record, 9-15 overall.

–Field Level Media

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