LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The homestand continues for the NM State men's basketball team as it entertains Long Beach State in a 7 p.m. showdown in the Pan American Center on Saturday, Dec. 3.
 
Adam Young (@youngpbp) will have the call for Aggie fans on the ESPN3 broadcast while former NM State assistant coach Rus Bradburd serves as the analyst. Fans can watch the game online or with the WatchESPN app on a variety of devices.
 
GAMEDAY PROMOTION
The moment is here for Aggie fans anticipating the second installment in the Aggie snapback series. The first 1,000 fans in attendance for Saturday night's contest against Long Beach State will receive a special edition Aggie snapback hat.
 
GET CONNECTED
Get up to the minute information and news about the NM State men's basketball team all season on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @AggieArmy.
 
LISTEN UP!
Tim Haggerty (@tdhagerty), a familiar voice to fans in the Borderland, will grace the airwaves for Aggie fans Saturday night on 99.5 Zia Country and affiliate stations. Fans can also listen to the game live with their mobile or tablet device on the TuneIn app for free. The game will be available on following affiliate stations as well:
 
Alamagordo      103.7 FM KNMZ
Albuquerque     101.7 FM KQTM
Carlsbad          1240 AM KAMQ
Gallup              1230 AM, 94.9 FM KYVA
Las Vegas        107.1 FM KMDS
 
WHERE TO WATCH
In addition to Saturday's action against the Beach on ESPN3, fans can catch the game LIVE on FOX Sports Southwest PLUS while four other FOX Sports affiliates will rebroadcast the game on delay or replay between Saturday night and next Wednesday.
 
ALL Times Mountain
FOX Sports Southwest PLUS (LIVE)
DISH: SD – 448, HD – 9518 | DISH Hopper: 412-36 | DTV: 676-2
 
FOX Sports Prime Ticket (Delay)
Saturday, Dec. 3, at 11 p.m.
DISH: 411 | DTV: 693
 
FOX Sports San Diego (Delay)
Saturday, Dec. 3, at 11 p.m.
DISH: 408 | DTV: 693
 
FOX College Sports Pacific (Replay)
Sunday, Dec. 4 at 11 a.m.
DTV: 608
Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m.
DTV: 608
 
FOX Sports Arizona (Replay)
Sunday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m.
DISH: 415 | DTV: 686
 
BAKER NEARS 1,000 POINT CLUB
Aggie floor general Ian Baker currently sits at 945 career points as he prepares to suit up for his 95th-career game in the Crimson & White. Baker, a Washington, D.C., product will become the 33rd player to join the 1,000 point club in program history when he reaches that plateau. He will be the fourth Aggie in the last three seasons to join the 1,000. Other players that recently joined the 1,000 point club include Pascal Siakam (1,126, 2014-16), Tshilidzi Nephawe (1,087, 2011-15) and Daniel Mullings (1,677, 2012-15).
 
AGGIES PREPARE FOR THE BEACH
Not to be mistaken, Saturday's contest against a 1-8 Long Beach State team is not what its record reflects. Head coach Dan Monson has once again scheduled the nation's top non-conference SOS according to Ken Pomeroy. NM State will also be Long Beach State's ninth-straight game on its murderous road-stretch that featured four ranked teams.
 
New Mexico State owns the all-times series 21-19 against its former Big West Conference rivals, but LBSU has won the last two meetings – including a 67-53 decision in the Pyramid last year. Despite out-rebounding the Beach on their home floor, 17 Aggie turnovers led to a 23-12 edge in points off turnovers that secured the win for the Black & Gold.
 
The Beach is led by Preseason All-Big West teamer Gabe Levin, who is averaging 12.8 points and 7.2 boards per game. The 6-7 junior has posted three double-doubles nine games into the season, including back-to-back performances against ranked opponents North Carolina and Louisville. In addition to leading the team in scoring and rebounds, Levin also paces the team in blocks with six.
 
Evan Payne is second on the team in scoring with 11.5 points per game to go with 3.1 boards per contest. The 6-1 transfer from Loyola Marymount recently sat out against LBSU's loss to No. 4 Kansas due to an ankle injury sustained against Florida Gulf Coast. All-conference returnee Justin Bibbins is third on the team in scoring with 8.8 points per game and team-best 36 assists and 12 steals.
 
The Beach has made 54 shots from deep in comparison to NM State's 55 and is led by freshman Jordan Griffin's 12. Payne and Noah Blackwell are next on that list with 11 made 3-pointers while Bibbins rounds out the double-digit list for LBSU with 10 while Levin inches closer with eight.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The NM State men's basketball team extended its home win-streak to five this past Wednesday when it defeated Air Force 78-70 in the Pan American Center. The Aggies were led by Eli Chuha and Las Cruces native Joe Garza in the second half as they made their push down the stretch. Chuha and Garza scored all of their points in the second half with 10 and 11 points, respectively.
 
The win was also NM State's first victory over a Mountain West Conference opponent that isn't New Mexico since Nov. 24, 2001, when the Aggies defeated San Diego State 94-76 at home.
 
Wednesday's game featured the second time NM State has had four players reach double-figures in Sidy N'Dir (15), Jemerrio Jones (15), Garza (11) and Chuha (11).
 
UP NEXT
NM State will wrap up its three-game homestand next Saturday when it hosts Battle of I-25 New Mexico at 7:30 on Saturday, Dec. 10, for a 7:30 tip. The Aggie basketball program and the NM State athletic department will also be honoring its all-time winningest head coach on Lou Henson Night.