Aggies to don retro style tonight vs. familiar foe UTEP
But NMSU and Miners’ rosters have a decidedly new look
LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Pan American Center’s construction tonight against its neighbor and most familiar rival.
The Aggies will be wearing throwback uniforms in their 7 p.m. tip against UTEP, the 215th men’s basketball game between the two teams. NMSU leads the all-time series 113-101, for those counting.
NMSU describes tonight’s retro look as a mix “of some older years. Nothing exact to any specific decade/ teams.”
Both teams have a new look this season that isn’t neoclassic. NMSU has 10 new players, and some new names came to the fore in their 73-56 season-opening home win Tuesday over North Dakota State.
Senior guard JoJo Zamora and junior guard Terrell Brown shined in their Aggie debuts. Zamora, a Utah transfer who sat out last season due to NCAA Division I transfer rules, scored 16 points on 7-of14 shooting and had five rebounds in 19 minutes.
Brown, a junior college transfer who once was kicked off San Jose State’s team after being one of five people arrested in May 2017 for suspicion of robbing a man and using his credit card to buy food, scored 13 points and 3 of 5 shooting, all from three, and three rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.
NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia and coach Chris Jans have said that Brown is allowed to participate because the alleged crime, still being adjudicated, took place before he enrolled at NMSU.
UTEP, meanwhile, has 13 new players — five of whom are sitting out — and a new coach. Former Fresno State Rodney Terry takes over in El Paso. He picked up his first win with the Miners Tuesday at home, 90-63 against Division II UT Permian Basin despite leading only 38-34 at the break.
Evan Gilyard, one of three letterman back for UTEP, scored 24 points in the opener.
Women
LONE STAR/RMAC CHALLENGE: While their respective men’s teams convene in Albuquerque for action today and Saturday (see story, this page), the Eastern New Mexico, Western New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands, and Fort Lewis’ women’s teams are also getting together for tournament action.
Today in Portales, Fort Lewis and Western New Mexico open with a 4:30 p.m. tip before Eastern takes on New Mexico Highlands immediately following. The Saturday slate starts with New Mexico Highlands taking on Western New Mexico at 5:30 p.m. before the Greyhounds take on Fort Lewis to close out the tourney.
No. 4 BAYLOR 116, SAINT FRANCIS 58: In Waco, Texas, Kalani Brown scored 23 points, freshman NaLyssa Smith had her first doubledouble with 21 points and 10 rebounds and the Lady Bears (2-0) rolled. Jess Kovatch scored 14 points for the Red Flash (0-2).
No. 11 TEXAS 78, DUQUESNE 41: In Austin, Texas, Lashann Higgs scored 20 points and Destiny Littleton added a careerhigh 15 points in Texas’ season-opening victory.
Jatarie White had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Longhorns. Kadri-Ann Lass led Duquesne (0-2) with 12 points.
MINNESOTA: The Gophers have a first team all-conference player coming back with Kenisha Bell, along with Big Ten Freshman of the Year award winner Destiny Pitts and four of the top five scorers from a team that finished 24-9 last season and won an NCAA Tournament game.
When Minnesota starts its schedule tonight in front of a packed house, though, the fans will be most excited to see the head coach.
Lindsay Whalen will take the court with her new team in the opener against New Hampshire, one of the most-anticipated debuts in women’s college basketball this year.