What: Game Twenty-One
Who: NM State (7-13, 0-8 WAC) at Utah Valley (16-6, 7-2 WAC)
When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 2 p.m. MT
Where: Orem, Utah - UCCU Center (8,500)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Zia Country 99.5 (PxP - Jack Nixon)
Attend: Online Ticket Sales
Live Stats: Click Here
Follow: Twitter - @NMStateMBB, Instagram - @NMStateMBB, Facebook - NM State Men's Basketball
THE OPENING TIP
• Still in search of their first win in league play, the Aggies' schedule will do them no favors as they travel to Orem, Utah, to take on a Utah Valley team who has conceded just two losses in WAC play, including falling on Thursday on the road at Southern Utah.
• While the 2022-23 season has been a bit of an anomaly for the Aggies who are amidst their slowest start in WAC action since joining the league in 2005, Utah Valley has been able to put together its second-best start in its time in the WAC.
• As it pertains to NM State's rough stretch - the Aggies had only started with seven league losses in two other seasons (1954-55, 1945-46) prior to this year.
• Meanwhile, you have to go back nine years to find the last time that the Wolverines posted a better nine-game start to WAC play as UVU's 2013-14 squad started the season 8-1 with its lone loss coming in the form of a 23-point defeat at the hands of the Marvin Menzies-led NM State Aggies.
• Saturday will mark the Aggies' first, and only, meeting with the Wolverines this season. The return to action also puts an end to the Aggies' longest stretch of the season without a game since they had 13 days off in between contests in November.
• The road tilt also marks the third of three straight games in the state of Utah for the Aggies after taking on Southern Utah last Thursday then matching up against Utah Tech on Saturday, Jan. 21.
PINSON NOT MISSIN'
• Xavier Pinson has been automatic from the charity stripe during conference play as he currently ranks second in the WAC in free throw percentage in conference play by way of making 27 of 29 across the Aggies' first eight WAC contests.
• In his first season with NM State, Pinson has shot 87.5 percent from the free throw line to rank first among Aggies, second in the WAC and 39th in the nation.
CHASING 1,500
• In four and a half years at the collegiate ranks, Pinson has scored 1,439 points - putting him just 61 points shy of reaching 1,500 for his career.
• As of now, Pinson would need to average just 6.1 points per game to reach this milestone during the regular season slate.
• Serving as the lone Aggie to have started in every game this season, Pinson paces the Aggies in scoring, notching 261 total points to average 13.1 points per game.
HISTORIC WAC DOMINANCE
• Amid its final season in the WAC, NM State has put together one of the most impressive runs in all of college basketball.
• Across 17-plus years, the Aggies have posted a 196-71 record against conference opponents.
• Additionally, the Aggies' 10 WAC Tournament titles is the most in conference history with UTEP's five tournament titles being the next closest.
TERRIFIC TANDEM
• Deshawndre Washington and Xavier Pinson have been one of the most prolific backcourts in the country and are currently averaging a combined 8.3 assists per game.
• Both Pinson and Washington currently rank inside the top ten in the WAC in assists per game as Pinson's 4.5 assist-per-game average is second-best in the conference and Washington's average of 3.8 assists ranks sixth.
• The two guards who hail from Chicago, Ill., are also the only two Aggies to average double figures as Pinson leads the Aggies by scoring 13.1 points per game while Washington ranks second on the squad, posting 12.1 points per contest.
• Pinson and Washington are also the only two Aggies averaging more than 30 minutes of playing time under Greg Heiar this season.
EIGHT STRAIGHT
• The Aggies' current eight-game losing streak marks the first time that NM State has lost eight consecutive games since the 2004-05 season. Meanwhile, the Aggies' eight losses in league play are already the most by any Aggie team since NM State joined the WAC.
NO WALK IN THE PARK IN THE WAC
• For years, WAC Championships have run through Las Cruces and there appeared to be a gulf between NM State and the rest of the league, however, this season it looks as though the rest of the league has finally caught up.
• Currently, the WAC ranks 11th out of 32 Division I conferences in average NET ranking (162.08).
• Last season, the conference made a massive jump to finish with an average NET ranking of 194.0 to conclude the season ranked 15th out of 31 after finishing ranked 26th in 2020-21.
• Meanwhile, from the 2018-19 season to the 2021-22 season, the WAC posted a final average NET ranking of 212.22 with a final average ranking of 20.5.
Year Avg. NET Rank
2021-22 194.00 15th
2020-21 238.56 26th
2019-20 245.11 25th
2018-19 171.22 16th
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
• In his fourth year with the Wolverines, Head Coach Mark Madsen will lead Utah Valley on Saturday against the Aggies.
• Last year, Utah Valley finished with an overall record of 20-12 to mark its first 20-win season since Madsen took over. The Wolverines also posted their highest win total in WAC play under Madsen's tutelage.
• This season, the Wolverines have reestablished themselves as a contender in the WAC by way of opening the season with a 7-2 record against league opponents.
• Much of UVU's success stems from its ability to defend at protect the rim at an elite level. Entering Saturday, the Wolverines rank first in the nation in blocks per game with 6.5 rejections per contest. Additionally, opposing teams are shooting just 39.1 percent against UVU the third-worst success rate at the Division I level.
• Despite falling by 12 points to Southern Utah in its last outing, the Wolverines still boast the best scoring margin in WAC play at +7.56.
• UVU also ranks first in the conference in field goal percentage (.484), rebounding offense (39.33) and defensive rebounds per game.
• Individually, the Aggies' toughest matchup comes in the paint where Aziz Bandaogo has been a dominant force in WAC play. Currently, Bandaogo paces the league in rebounding - absorbing 11.33 missed shots per game in WAC competition. Bandaogo also serves as the Wolverines' primary shot blocker as he averages 2.89 stuffs per game.
• On the scoring front, the Aggies are led by Justin Harmon and Trey Woodbury who average 13.9 and 13.3 points per game, respectively. Meanwhile, Le'Tre Darthard and Aziz Bandaogo also average double figures as Darthard pours in 12.5 points per game and Bandaogo manages 11.3 points in each game he plays in.
• Historically, the Aggies have dominated the head-to-head series against the Wolverines - posting a 14-5 record in 19 meetings, outscoring UVU by an average of 9.4 points.
++NM State++
