LAS CRUCES, N.M. - For the first time in his collegiate head coaching career, Robert Lee was in an overtime game here Thursday.

And his Louisiana Ragin' Cajun squad made it one to remember.

Keyed by a defense that did not allow New Mexico State a field goal in the last 3:40 of overtime, the Cajuns exploded late for an 89-79 victory over the homestanding Aggies to complete a sweep of their three-game road swing.

The Cajuns (9-7, 3-1) battled back from an 11-point deficit at halftime and forced overtime on Tiras Wade's two free throws with 19.2 seconds left in regulation. Then, the visitors trailed 75-72 with 3:40 left in the extra period on Josh Jenkins' three-pointer, before outscoring NMSU (4-13, 0-4) 17-4 the rest of the way.

"Our guys stepped up and showed a lot of heart," said Lee, whose team had taken road wins at South Alabama and New Orleans last Thursday and Saturday. "They didn't back down when it didn't look very good for us."

The Aggies didn't manage a field goal after Jenkins' trey, which was the only NMSU three-pointer of the second half. State's only scoring the rest of the way were a pair of free throws each by Jeff Jones and Mike Mitchell.

Cajun center Chris Cameron answered Jenkins' trey with one of his own, his first field goal of the game, and after Jones' two free throws Orien Greene drove for a basket and Brian Hamilton hit a 15-foot jumper at the shot-clock horn that gave the Cajuns a 79-77 lead with 2:05 left.

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