LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State men's tennis team returns to Corpus Christi, Texas, for the 52nd Annual H-E-B Tournament of Champions hosted by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this weekend, March 2-3.
 
The two-day tournament begins on Friday, March 2, with a 10 a.m. (MT) first serve against DePaul, who the Aggies will play later in the season in Chicago on April 15. The Aggies and Blue Demons will square off at the HEB Tennis Center with the winner scheduled to play at 4 p.m. (MT) at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center against the winner between UTSA and Louisiana.
 
The Blue Demons are 10-3 overall on the year with a 1-0 mark in Big East play as it heads into the weekend tournament. DePaul is also riding a four-match winning-streak. Its only losses have come at the hands of Wisconsin, Cleveland State and Penn on the road.
 
Depending on New Mexico State's results Friday morning, it could face a 5-5 UTSA squad or an 11-6 Louisiana team. The Roadrunners are 4-4 when playing on the road this year and have yet to play on a neutral court. UTSA, who opens the tournament with the Ragin' Cajuns, lost a tough meeting with Louisiana back on Feb. 2 at home 4-3. The Roadrunners have won three-straight heading into this weekend.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns started the year 2-4 before reeling off a string of four-straight wins and five-straight wins. Louisiana, however, dropped its most recent contest against host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this past Saturday, 4-3.
 
Should NM State drop its opening match against DePaul, it'll play in the consolation bracket at the HEB Tennis Center instead. Other teams in the top bracket of the tournament includes host, TAMU-CC, Troy, UT Rio Grande Valley and South Alabama.
 
NM State went 2-1 last year at the H-E-B Tournament of Champions, defeating the host TAMU-CC in its opening match before falling to Arizona. However, the Aggies recovered with a 4-1 win over Louisiana to wrap up the tournament.