LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State men's basketball team looks to put a finishing stamp on its non-conference schedule this Friday, Dec. 30, when the Aggies host Battle of I-10 rival UTEP at home in the Pan American Center.
 
NM State will also be donning its special "Los Aggies" uniform Friday night as it celebrates Hispanic Heritage Night.
 
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.
 
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!
Aggie fans that can't make it to the game can listen to NM State Athletics/US Bank Hall of Famer Jack Nixon 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:
 
Alamogordo      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 Friday's action against the Miners on ESPN3, fans can catch the game LIVE on FOX Sports Arizona and FOX Sports Southwest PLUS and FOX College Sports Pacific.  
 
ALL Times Mountain
FOX Sports Arizona (LIVE)
DISH: 415 | DTV: 686
 
FOX Sports Southwest PLUS (LIVE)
DISH: SD – 446, HD – 9516 | DISH Hopper: 412-34 | DTV: 675
 
 
FOX College Sports Pacific (LIVE)
DTV: 608 | DISH: Check TV Guide Program | Comcast – 264
 
Altitude Sports 2 (LIVE)
DISH: Check TV Guide Program | DTV: 681
 
FOX Sports Arizona (Replay)
Saturday, Dec. 31, at 12:00 a.m. (Midnight)
DISH: 415 | DTV: 686
 
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
For the first game of 2017 in the Pan American Center, the first 1,000 @AggieArmy fans in attendance will get their hands on the third Aggie snapback hat when the NM State takes on Grand Canyon in its WAC home-opener on Jan. 12. The annual State Farm baby race will also be taking place at halftime.
 
Two days later on Saturday, Jan. 14, the Mascot Madness game returns to the Pan American Center for its halftime game for the game against UMKC.
 
AGGIES AND MINERS ROUND II
Heading into this Friday's 7 p.m. match-up against UTEP, NM State has won four-straight meetings. This will also be just the second true road game for the Miners all season, having played seven contests at home and three on a neutral floor. UTEP's last win came on Nov. 18 against Western Michigan.
 
The Aggies are riding a 10-game winning-streak and 18-game win-streak in the Pan American Center while the Miners look to snap their eight-game losing skid and pick up their first victory in the Pan Am since 2010 (74-72).
 
Omega Harris continues to pace the UTEP offense with 17.1 points per game while Dominic Artis and Matt Willms checks in with 14.5 and 10.9 points per game, respectively. Artis also leads the Miners in rebounding (6.5) and assists (7.5).
 
Terry Winn, last year's leading rebounder for UTEP, is second on the team with 5.7 boards per game, but has been sidelined with an injury after the third game. Willms, who has played in every game, is averaging 5.3 rebounds. While Willms has a team-high 15 blocks, Kelvin Jones is not far behind with 12 off the bench.
 
Opponents are shooting .397 from behind the arc against UTEP and have out reboundthe Miners by 2.4 boards per game.
 
RPI CHECK
After debuting at 94 in the first RPI ranking by the NCAA on Dec. 6, NM State is now sitting at No. 65, good for the highest amongst Western Athletic Conference teams through games on Dec. 17. Utah Valley, who debuted at No. 88 to lead the WAC, is now sitting at No. 204.
 
AGGIE BASKETBALL TO HONOR SHAWN HARRINGTON
The NM State Athletic Department will honor former Aggie Shawn Harrington at its Jan. 21 game against UMKC. Harrington, who played in Las Cruces from 1995-96, was recruited by former Aggie assistant Rus Bradburd – who currently serves as the analyst for home Aggie basketball games. In addition, Harrington will also be in attendance at the Chicago State game on Jan. 7.
 
For a more in-depth read on Harrington's story, read The New York Times article by Joe Nocera by clicking here.


DECEMBER TO REMEMBER
With a win on Friday night, the 2016-17 NM State men's basketball team can become just the fourth team in program history to go undefeated in the month of the December in the past 50 years. Paul Weir would be the only coach from that time frame to do it in his first year at the helm.
 
Reggie Theus did it in his second year in 2006-07, going 8-0 in December. Neil McCarthy also did it in 1989-90 when his team went 7-0 while legendary head coach Lou Henson did it in 1968-69. All three of those teams went on to play in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Year: Record in Dec. (at Home)
2016-17: 6-0 (4-0)
2006-07: 8-0 (7-0)
1989-90: 7-0 (5-0)
1689-69: 8-0 (3-0)
 
AROUND THE NCAA
With the non-conference slate wrapping up for most teams and some having started conference play already, here's a look at where New Mexico State stands against other Division I programs.
 
The Aggies are 30th in the country in defending the 3-point shot, holding foes to just a .295 clip. As a team, NM State is 77th in team defense, keeping opponents to just 66.2 points per game and 71st in the field-goal percentage defense department (.401). The Aggies' 61 blocks also ranks them 53rd, while their 549 rebounds are good for 34th in the country.
 
Offensively, the 252 free throws taken by the Aggies are 19th-most in the NCAA while its 355 free-throw attempts rank 17th in the country.
 
Braxton Huggins, who has been stellar for NM State from downtown is 15th in the nation with a .481 shooting clip from 3-point range and 39th with 39 made 3-pointers. Eli Chuha is 51st amongst Division I players with 113 rebounds while Jemerrio Jones is ranked 57th.
 
PACK THE PAN AM
It's not too early to get your tickets and be a part of history as NM State hosts its Pack the Pan Am against UMKC on Jan. 21. Lower bowl tickets will be $10 while upper bowl tickets are $5. To get your tickets in advance, call the Pan American Center ticket box office at 575-646-1420.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Backed by four players in double-figures, the New Mexico State men's basketball team powered past in-state foe Eastern New Mexico with ease, 84-50, on Tuesday for Canada Night in the Pan American Center.
 
The Aggies assisted on 18 of its 27 made field goals in the game and outscored the Greyhounds 34-28 in the paint. NM State also relied on its 14 offensive boards, which gave it a 17-12 edge in second-chance points.
 
UP NEXT
The Aggies will open 2017 on the road with Western Athletic Conference play. First up for NM State will be UMKC (Jan. 5) in a 5:30 p.m. (MT) tip on the American Sports Network followed by a 1 p.m. start at Chicago State on Jan. 7. NM State then heads home for a three-game homestand with its WAC home-opener set for Jan. 12 against Grand Canyon.