LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- NM State Athletics has announced a cross-promotion between NM State football and NM State basketball.

If fans present a ticket from Saturday's football contest against Utah State in advance, they can receive a five dollar discount off tickets to the NM State basketball opener against UC-Irvine.

The season opener for the projected favorites in the Western Athletic Conference, Chris Jans' and company make their much anticipated return to the Pan American Center for the first time in 980 days Tuesday. The Aggies' did not play a home game at the Pan Am in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to being projected to take home the league title, four different Aggies led by Nebraska transfer Teddy Allen were named to the Preseason All-WAC Teams.
Allen was a First Team All-WAC selection by the league's coaches, and was selected as a Second Team All-WAC selection by the league's media. Allen was joined by redshirt senior Johnny McCants (Second Team All-WAC media/coaches), Jabari Rice (First Team All-WAC media/coaches) and Donnie Tillman (Second Team All-WAC coaches).

Since arriving in Las Cruces, Jans has accumulated a record of 116-37 (.758), and has won three regular season WAC titles and two WAC Tournament crowns. Jans' .758 winning percentage is the fifth highest active winning percentage behind Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke) and John Calipari (Kentucky).

The Anteaters were projected to finish second in the Big West this season, just one point behind projected conference champion UC Santa Barbara.

UCI is led by Lou Henson Player of the Year Watch List selection Collin Welp. Named after the legendary former Aggie coach, the Lou Henson Watch List featured 50 players from 21 different mid-major conferences and is presented annually to the top mid-major player in D-I basketball.

Fans can redeem the offer for all tickets that are purchased in advance. Tuesday's men's basketball opener against UC-Irvine is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. or 45 minutes after the women's basketball opener against Western New Mexico (4 p.m.).