Is Tony Delk conflicted about Final Four matchup?

Not at all.
Delk is all for his alma mater bringing another title back to Kentucky.
"I went to Kentucky and I just left there," said New Mexico State assistant Tony Delk from New Orleans on the eve of Saturday's Final Four game between Kentucky and Louisville. "Anyone who knows me knows who I am pulling for."
Delk does have strong ties to both programs, although he is and always will support Kentucky, where he starred as a player under current Louisville coach Rick Pitino.
Delk's club beat current Kentucky coach John Calipari's UMass team in the national semifinal on the way to the 1996 national title.
Prior to coming to Las Cruces this season, Delk spent the previous two year's on Calipari's staff at Kentucky, where he still ranks fifth on the school's all time scoring list.
"You have two guys who have impacted my career with Coach P as a player and Cal putting me on his staff," Delk said. "Both are great guys.
"I texted both of them congratulating them for making it and Coach Cal called me three weeks ago when we made our run to the tournament. Cal helped me more with my coaching career as far as running a program and I played for Pitino so I didn't get a chance to be around him like that."
Delk said the Kentucky/Louisville rivalry wasn't much of a rivalry during his time at Kentucky. Delk's team beat Louisville by 30 his senior year, he said.
"It's great for the state of Kentucky," Delk said. "It's two teams that play extremely hard and will play until the buzzer sounds."
What will be the difference in the game?
"Louisville has problems scoring but they defend so if they aren't scoring, you're not going to score," Delk said. "The difference is guarding the 3-point line. They have had good tests against Iowa State and Indiana and if it's a half court game, Kentucky can play either style."
Following this weekend, Delk said he plans to continue improving as a coach.
"Of course I'm going to do some recruiting and try to watch some Olympic practices this summer," he said. "Just try to learn my craft."

Early look at next year's roster

I'm operating here with the understanding the NMSU still has two scholarships to fill and assuming that everyone is coming back.

I believe next year to be similar to the up and down season when Jonathan Gibson was a junior and Jahmar Young was a sophomore. I think there is talent there, but they will be very young and inexperienced, but should be among the top 3 teams in an improved WAC.

Unlike this year after Christian Kabongo left, the Aggies will have depth in the backcourt and on the wings so the Aggies should be able to play the same type of pressuring defense throughout the course of the game that they did early on in the season. The question will be if the Aggies want to play that way. That will depend on the fitness level of Sim Bhullar and Chili Nephawe. I think the Aggies could still pressure and do all of the things we have come to expect in transition if Bhullar and Nephawe play nearly 20 minutes per game with BJ West spelling them.

It goes without saying the Aggies would be well served to get at least one shooter and possibly a polished post player.

Guards/Wings
KC Ross-Miller and Terrel de Rouen will each be coming off of injury issues. de Rouen seemed to be reaching that confidence level that it takes freshmen a while to develop. Then he got hurt. Ross Miller has also been rehabbing from offseason knee surgery, although not as serious as de Rouen. I don't see Ross-Miller as a lights out scoring point guard, but is apparently better at driving and creating opportunities for teammates. de Rouen's strength is his athletic ability, and I think he can really make an impact defensively but the question is can he get healthy.

Daniel Mullings has a big off season ahead of him. While it would be nice to see him knock down the 3, I don't want to see him settling for 3s next  year. He's so good driving, hopefully he works on pulling up and knocking down midrange jumpers and shooting free throws, where he was a 62 percent last year — 46 percent in WAC play.

Feinberg wrote about Bandja Sy on his blog. I wasn't a fan his first two years, but it's been remarkable to watch Sy's improvement on the court and just a better all-around awareness about the game. For example, that big block on Phillip McDonald in Albuquerque. Sy knew the Lobos needed a 3, Sy was patient on defense and waited for his chance to block the shot without fouling. He was steady on defense all year and that's the important thing. He has a nice touch from 3 point land as well, but for some reason only shoots from the baseline. I would like to see him develop more confidence and aggressiveness going to the basket and getting to the line more as well. I don't know where Sy would be most effective next year, starting or coming off the bench but he will certainly be an important player. Tyrone Watson has been in the starting lineup the past two years and I've written about how important he is to the team. He can play multiple positions and is good at distributing the ball but lacks a scoring punch. Again, not sure whether he should start or come off the bench next year.

Remi Barry has shown he can at the very least, hit the occassional long range shot. He should improve with an offseason under his belt after playing competitive basketball for the first time in three years. Eric Weary had impressive numbers in high school and according to some also has the ability to shoot. Between these two and perhaps one or two additions, the Aggies will be more of a threat from 3- point range.

Post players
Wendell McKines leaves a gaping hole in terms of production at the four spot and leadership. I'm going to go ahead and say that I would like to see Renaldo Dixon come back at the power forward. I think he's just as confident shooting the jumper as McKines was and he's got more size than Wendell. Hopefully he returns with his head right after essentially losing his sophomore year. I also would think the Aggies have the ability to bring in an additional power forward with one of their two scholarships available.

The mix of Sim Bhullar, Chili Nephawe and BJ West is intriguing, if not extremely unproven. Will Bhullar return from  a foot injury, can he get fit enough to get up and down the court? If yes, could you imagine a lineup with Bhullar and Nephawe together for short stretches. I was down on Nephawe for most of the year, but he played very well late in the season as he got completely healthy and showed a little fire to him. BJ West is more athletic at the center spot and can spell either center and could likely help close games out since he's more capable of getting up and down the court.

McKines embarks on next stage of basketball career

Following is a story on Wendell McKines that will run later this week. McKines will play in the NABC senior All Star game in New Orleans on Friday and in April, he will play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. PIT rosters haven't been announced but here is a website that had him as a projected participant with more background on the event.

I have no idea on McKines' prospects of a NBA career, but he was very honest I thought when I spoke to him. It's not NBA or bust for him. At 6-4 he's well aware of what critics and/or potential scouts have to say. As a fan of basketball however, it seems that every NBA team has a player like McKines, who specializes in rebounding but brings that effort and energy that not all players possess. I wonder how NBA teams measure those things that McKines brings to the table that won't show up in a stat sheet or individual workout.

"I don't get frustrated that I'm not a projected draft pick," McKines said. "It's best for them to see me live right in front of them. There are 30 NBA teams. I feel as though one of them will love me, my passion for the game and my passion for life in general."

LAS CRUCES — Wendell McKines has no regrets as he moves forward as a basketball player.

McKines leaves New Mexico State as one of the most talented and accomplished players to put on an Aggies uniform.

But now the real work begins, starting with the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) College All-Star Game this week and the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in mid-April.

“My goal since I was a kid was to be a NBA player,” McKines said. “I look at games on TV and know that I can play with them. I’m going into this process expecting to get drafted, but if it doesn’t happen, I still have a college degree in my hands and playing overseas is an option.”

McKines and a handful of other college seniors from Division I programs were invited to play as part of Final Four weekend in New Orleans.

McKines leaves Wednesday and the game takes place Friday at 3:35 p.m., at the New Orleans Superdome, site of this weekend’s Final Four.

“I look at it as an honor,” McKines said. “It just proves that all of my hard work pays off and it’s the icing on the cake.”

While there will certainly be exposure at the biggest weekend in college basketball, McKines is looking forward to the All-Star game as an opportunity to relax before he focuses on becoming a professional.

“All-Star games are supposed to be fun,” he said. “It’s more of a gift.”

McKines will turn up the intensity for the Portsmouth  Invitational Tournament April 11-14 in Portsmouth, Va.

Rosters have not been released yet, but McKines said he received his invitation by mail prior to the Aggies’ departure for Portland for their NCAA Tournament second-round game against Indiana.

The top senior NBA Draft prospects are invited for an eight-team, 12-game tournament. 

“That’s for a job,” McKines said. “All the NBA teams and teams from overseas are there as well. It’s going to be very intense and I’m looking forward to it.”

McKines said he plans to participate in the graduation ceremony on May 12 with a degree in marketing. Following graduation, he plans to return to the Bay Area and train for potential workouts with NBA teams with the hopes of hearing his name called in the June 28 NBA Draft.

McKines, who has hired BDA Sports Management to represent him, said if he is not drafted, he hopes for an invitation to NBA summer leagues in either Las Vegas or Orlando. If not, he’s open to play overseas.

“I’m playing for a job and to provide for my family,” McKines said. “It’s still basketball but it’s more of a challenge.”

Jason Groves can be reached at (575) 541-5459. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.

Spinning it forward (How do the Aggies win in the NCAAs?)

Following is my column trying to spit it forward a bit. I know Lobos fans are waiting for Sweet 16 appearance. Along those same lines, NMSU is still trying to get out of the first round (I refuse to refer to the Round of 64 as second round games unless I have to in print). It's not all NMSU's fault. The Mountain West and soon to be MWC/CUSA merger has been and will be more highly regarded than the WAC or likely any league the Aggies end up in, making a higher seed more difficult than the Lobos, who were seeded fifth after winning the MWC while NMSU ended up at No. 13 after winning the WAC. I think that the Aggies have some things going for them in that they now have a group of players who know what it's like in the NCAA. That and perhaps winning those marquee games on a more consistent basis could result in moving up a line or two in the bracket.




Winning NCAA Tournament games is hard.

At a school like New Mexico State, the odds of advancing in the Big Dance are stacked against the Aggies. In its 19 NCAA Tournament appearances, NMSU has typically played against teams, with better rosters from top to bottom, that play in better leagues, under coaches who are well-versed in postseason preparation.

This year saw NMSU reached its third NCAA Tournament since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 2005-06.

Aggies coach Marvin Menzies enjoyed his finest season at NMSU. The Aggies' 26 wins is the most since 1992-93, one win shy of the program record. Menzies got the Aggies to the NCAAs for the second time in three years.

With that level of success over time comes increased expectations to all programs.

The question now seems to be what do the Aggies need to do to not only get to the NCAA Tournament, but also win a game once they're there?

Following Thursday's 79-66 South Region second-round loss to Indiana, NMSU has now lost its last six NCAA Tournament games. The list of teams reads like whose who of college basketball - Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Texas, Michigan State and now Indiana.

With the exception of NMSU's three-point loss to Michigan State in 2010, the other five losses have been by double digits.

Mid-major leagues are limited in terms of receiving high seeds. The Aggies actually finished the season with a respectable strength of schedule rank of 115, yet their best win by far came in the second game of the season at New Mexico.

But there were also a handful of missed opportunities throughout the season. NMSU lost a pair of games to NCAA Tournament program Southern Mississippi. Southern Miss finished the season 25-9 with an RPI of 21 and a strength of schedule of 48. The Aggies also lost a competitive home game to Arizona. Arizona had a down year by its lofty standards, but perhaps a home win over the Wildcats could have carried some weight on Selection Sunday.

It's possible that earning a split with Southern Miss or beating Arizona could have been worth a higher line or two in the bracket.

NMSU faces unique scheduling challenges year in and year out. The Aggies enter the season with four games taken against UNM and UTEP, plus a BracketBuster game and payback game.

NMSU doesn't necessarily have to schedule tougher, but the Aggies need to find a way to win the handful of games the NCAA could consider "quality wins."

Regardless of who they play, the Aggies now have a more considerable list of players who have contributed on an NCAA Tournament team.

Tyrone Watson and Bandja Sy will be two seniors on next year's roster who have each been a part of two NCAA Tournament teams. Sophomore center Tshilidzi Nephawe and freshman guard Daniel Mullings also played considerable roles on this year's club. Not to mention potential impact players Sim Bhullar and KC Ross-Miller were also on campus all year and should join the fold knowing what it feels like to play on a team with expectations.

Now the Aggies just have to put it together.

It's just the next step.

Crean acknowledges McKines

Here are Indiana's postgame press comments

Here are New Mexico State's postgame press comments

I was speaking with Wendell McKines in the bowels of the Rose Garden when Indiana coach Tom Crean was walking by. He stopped and said the following to Wendell.

"That man is a pro player right there, make sure you write that," Crean said. "You are a heck of a player. We spend as much time preparing for you as anybody we see. And the Draymond Green (comparison), that's a big compliment from where we come from because he was player of the year in our league and an All-American. We have a lot of respect for what you do. You have a great future."

McKines was held to four points in the first half. He finished with 15 and 7 in his final game. Daniel Mullings had 10 points and Bandja Sy had 12.

"It was Wensday awareness," McKines said. "Every spot I went to, I got some attention, which I expected. I worked so hard to be the type of player I am today so I guess it comes with the territory."

When asked to sum up his personal career spur of the moment, McKines told me, "I enjoyed my time as an Aggie. I never took a play off for this team. These are memories I'm going to cherish the rest of my life."

Bandja Sy on the mood of the team at halftime
"We felt like we just had two offensive rebounds so we talked about going hard to the offensive glass. We played good defense and just keep moving the ball on offense."

Sy on the first 10 minutes of the second half
"It was slightly different environment. After a couple runs, it just felt like a home game for them."

Tyrone Watson on the mood at halftime
"We were pretty optimistic but they are a tough team. They were working hard and knocking down their 3s. That was one of the emphasis of the game was to stop them from hitting 3s but they kind of got going and it just kind of got out of hand."

Tyrone Watson on the ball screen at the top of the key
"I think we struggled on a few ball screens from the get go and then they just kept going back to it. We hard a hard time getting the hedge and a hard time recovering and they start knocking down shots. We help over and then they rotate. That did hurt us."

Watson had seven of the Aggies' 13 turnovers in the first half. He didn't have one in the second half and the Aggies had four
"It wasn't so much the pressure. I was trying to make a play. I overdid it. I put the blame on myself for those turnovers. Sometimes I didn't see half the guys when they picked off my passes, they are so quick."

Both teams were 8-10 from the foul line. NMSU averages 30 free throw attempts per game
"Usually we get the calls and they weren't called. I'm not going to say the refs were bias or anything. It was an aggressive game, which we liked. There were a couple bumps and hits that we didn't get but that's just the game of basketball. We expected a lot of those to be calls but it was just tough basketball."

Marvin Menzies  on halftime
"I felt like we had a chance. We had our opportunities. They are a good team and they just made shots. Everytime we make a run they respond. It kept them confident and we never got close enough to maybe rattle them a little bit."

Menzies on defending ball screens
"they got a lot of stuff coming off of that. the scouting report was to have the five help and kind of lay off. He was a little slow to do that at times. we switched it up and changed it. It worked a few times and we got a few stops out of it, but not enough."

Wrap up from the Rose Garden

Indiana is the best team New Mexico State played all year. I would say behind Louisville, Indiana could be the best team in Portland this weekend.

Like I said in my story, New Mexico State did not quit playing, but they were outplayed by a better team, simple as that. The Aggies played well offensively, Indiana was great. Rebounding, free throws, offensive rebounds were all a wash, all categories the Aggies probably needed to win in order to keep up in the second half.

The difference were seven made 3s for Indiana to 4 made 3s from Indiana.

NMSU finished the season one win shy of the best win total since 1969-70, which also happens to be the last NCAA Tournament victory the NCAA recognizes.

Lobos fans cheering for Aggies in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. — Ryan Miller is a fourth year assistant under Steve Alford at New Mexico.
Miller's parents made the trip from Albuquerque to not only support the Lobos, but they bought tickets to both sessions to cheer on UNM rival New Mexico State.
"I'm here to support New Mexico but I like basketball," said Miller's father, Tom Miller. "I think (the Aggies) are really good, especially inside. I saw them play versus New Mexico (the Aggies beat UNM 62-53 at The Pit in the fourth game of the season) and I picked them to win their conference."
Miller and his wife, Sheryl, seemed to be common among Lobos fans gathered behind the Lobos' bench at the Rose Garden prior to UNM's tip against Long Beach State.
"They (the Aggies) are from New Mexico and we want a good showing from our state," Sheryl Miller said.
Phillip Pina's son in a student at UNM.
Pina lives in Chama and is a season ticket holder at The Pit.
"If we could get some tickets, we would go see both teams," Pina said. "It was hard catching a flight out here so short in advance, but that would be nice if two New Mexico teams win."
Ron Jones, another Lobos season ticket holder, said he was impressed by the Aggies in Albuquerque. Jones also has tickets to both sessions at the Rose Garden.
"We had tickets already, but we are always Aggie fans when we are not cheering for the Lobos," Jones said.