LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State men's basketball team looks to sweep Battle of I-10 rival UTEP for the third-consecutive season this Thursday when the two teams square off at 8 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Don Haskins Center.
 
The 214th meeting between the storied programs will be broadcast on Facebook LIVE and free to watch for all fans. Jason Knapp will have the call while former coaching veteran Ben Braun serves as the analyst with Shae Peppler on the sidelines.
 
Fans can watch the game by going to FB.com/StadiumCollegeBasketball and watch for FREE.
 
GET CONNECTED
Get up to the minute information and news about the NM State men's basketball team all season on Twitter and Instagram by following @NMStateMBB and on Facebook at FB.com/NMStateMBB.
 
LISTEN UP!
Aggie fans that can't make it down to El Paso for the game can also catch Thursday's contest by listening to NM State Athletics/US Bank Hall of Famer Jack Nixon on 99.5 Zia Country and affiliate stations on the Aggie Sports Network listed below.
 
Alamogordo      103.7 FM KNMZ
Albuquerque     1150 AM KNMM
Carlsbad           1240 AM KAMQ
El Paso             1380 AM KHEY
Gallup               1230 AM, 94.9 FM KYVA
Las Vegas         107.1 FM KMDS
 
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
The 4-for-$40 ticket special for Aggie fans is back by popular demand and the first game that will be available is this Sunday, Dec. 3, when NM State plays host to Prairie View A&M. Fans must take advantage of this ticket special in advance and won't be available on gameday. Those that purchase the ticket special will receive four tickets, four sodas and four hot dogs for a totally of just $40.
 
To take advantage of this perfect stocking stuffer, fans can purchase the ticket special at the Pan American Center box office or by calling 575-646-1420.
 

Four For $40 is BACK for this Sunday's @NMStateMBB vs. Prairie View A&M game! Get four ??, four ?? & four sodas for just $40.
Must be purchased in advance - not valid on game day.
?? Call Pan Am at 575-646-1420 pic.twitter.com/YeTzZQMi8K

— NM State MBB (@NMStateMBB) November 28, 2017

RARE BACK-TO-BACK MEETINGS
Thursday's rivalry game serves as a rare back-to-back meeting for the Aggies and Miners. The last time NM State played consecutive games against UTEP was back in the 2010-11 season, which went in favor of the Miners.
 
Since the 2010-11 campaign, the eight other times NM State and UTEP have competed in consecutive seasons (according to NM State's schedule) the Aggies have split the yearly series six out of the last eight times. UTEP also swept the series in 2004-05 and 1995-96 seasons.
 
NM State has only swept the series when playing consecutively once dating back to the 1952-53 season. Seasons prior to that, NM State and UTEP played each other four times a season, twice in non-conference and twice in Border Conference play.
 
The lone season where NM State swept UTEP came in 1975-76 under first-year head coach Ken Hayes. The Aggies first defeated the Miners 49-47 on the road (12/2/75) before completing the sweep at home (12/6/75), 62-54.
 
IN THE NATION
Through games on Monday, Nov. 27, New Mexico State is ranked fifth in the nation in rebound margin (14.0) and 10th in total rebounds per game (43.8). Meanwhile, Jemerrio Jones is third in the country with 5.0 offensive rebounds per game and eighth in the nation in rebounds per game (11.6). Offensively, Zach Lofton is ninth in the NCAA with a 24.4 points average.
 
MINERS IN FLUX AWAIT AGGIES
Thursday's rivalry tilt against Battle of I-10 rival UTEP will have different look on the sidelines with Tim Floyd retiring after Monday night's loss to Lamar at home. Assistant Phil Johnson was tabbed as the Miner Interim Head Coach on Tuesday for the remainder of the season.
 
UTEP's 1-5 record is the worst start to the season since going 1-4 in both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns. Miners managed to finish above .500 in 2013-12, posting an 18-14 overall record but was two games under .500 in 2011-12 with a 15-17 overall mark.
 
Trey Wade was the only UTEP player to register in double-figures against Lamar this past Monday with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting in the loss. Despite holding the 42-41 edge on the glass, the Miners' 33.3-percent shooting from the floor was not enough as they allowed Cardinals to shoot 39-percent from the floor and 50-percent from downtown.
 
The multi-faceted defense Floyd churned out against the Aggies this past Saturday kept UTEP within striking distance of NM State with four players in double-figures. However, the Aggies dominated the glass 46-31 and used their home-court advantage to outshoot the Miners 43.9-percent to their 36.8-percent.
 
NM State had four players with seven or more rebounds against UTEP in its last meeting. The Aggies hit 11 triples against Colorado State and followed with 10 against the Miners, marking the first time NM State have made 10-plus 3-pointers in back-to-back games since the 2013-14 season.
 
LOFTON EARNS WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zach Lofton was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week this past Monday by the league after averaging 24 points and 8.0 rebounds last week. This is the first weekly honor for NM State this season and the first for Lofton in the WAC.
 
The St. Paul, Minn., product started the week with a huge offensive night against Colorado State – which gave NM State its second-straight win over a Mountain West Conference opponent in as many games. Lofton scorched the Rams with a season-high 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting with eight rebounds. The 30-point performance is second-highest in the league this season as well.
 
Three days later, the 6-4 graduate transfer dropped 21 points against Battle of I-10 rival UTEP and helped lift the Aggies to a 72-63 win – their seventh-straight over the Miners.
 
In total, Lofton finished the week shooting 67.9-percent from the floor along with a .461 clip from beyond the arc. He has now scored 20-plus points in the last three games, and four of the five games so far this season.
 
BAKER ACTIVE FOR SATURDAY
Former Aggie All-American Ian Baker will be active for the South Bay Lakers this Saturday when they play host to the Agua Caliente Clippers at 8 p.m. (MT). The reigning WAC Player of the Year was drafted in the first-round of the NBA G-League Draft and was sitting out due to a left tibia stress fracture.
 
Fans can watch all NBA G League action free on Facebook Live by going to FB.com/NBAGLeague and then clicking on the "videos" tab.
 
LAST TIME OUT
With the win over UTEP last Saturday, Aggie head coach Chris Jans joins eight other head coaches in school history to beat UTEP (1-4) in their first try. He also joins Ken Hayes, Lou Henson and Paul Weir as the only first-year head coaches to beat both New Mexico and UTEP in their first try at home.
 
New Mexico State trailed for just 1:39 minutes all game and led by as many as 14 in the second-half before the final buzzer rang with NM State winning 72-63.
 
UP NEXT
NM State returns home to the friendly confines of the Pan American Center this Sunday, Dec. 3, for a 4 p.m. tilt against Prairie View A&M. Tickets can be purchased at the Pan Am Center ticket office or by calling 575-646-1420.