Thoughts on the schedule

After talking with Coach Menzies, I just wanted to point out that the Lou Henson Classic will return next season. Menzies said they will pick one of their home games (It would make sense for maybe Prairie View, Sac. St. or Loyola Marymount) and call that particular game the Lou Henson Classic. It didn't seem like the community really got excited about the tournament last year anyway, other than when Coach Henson sat on the bench during the game. The same effect can be acheived this way I think.

With the road game at Kansas, I think the Aggies have traveled to four of the five most highly regarded venues in the history of college basketball over the past three years (UCLA, Duke, Louisville, Kansas). The only team missing is North Carolina. Maybe next year. What do you think? Am I missing any primetime opponents on that level?

Men's schedule

It looks like the final game turns out to be at the National champions Kansas. Not bad.


Friday Oct. 31 N.M. Highlands (Exh.) LAS CRUCES
Tuesday Nov. 4 Western N.M. (Exh.) LAS CRUCES
Saturday Nov. 15 UC Riverside LAS CRUCES
Tuesday Nov. 18 Southern California Los Angeles, Calif.
Friday Nov. 21 Pepperdine LAS CRUCES
Sunday Nov. 30 Long Beach State Long Beach, Calif.
Wednesday Dec. 3 Kansas Lawrence, Kan.
Saturday Dec. 6 North Texas Denton, Texas
Thursday Dec. 11 Sacramento State LAS CRUCES
Sunday Dec. 14 UTEP LAS CRUCES
Wednesday Dec. 17 Prairie View A&M LAS CRUCES
Saturday Dec. 20 UTEP El Paso, Texas
Tuesday Dec. 23 New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M.
Sunday Dec. 28 Loyola Marymount LAS CRUCES
Tuesday Dec. 30 New Mexico LAS CRUCES

Saturday Jan. 3 Fresno State* Fresno, Calif.
Monday Jan. 5 San Jose State* San Jose, Calif.
Thursday Jan. 8 Nevada* LAS CRUCES
Saturday Jan. 10 Utah State* LAS CRUCES
Thursday Jan. 15 Idaho* LAS CRUCES
Thursday Jan. 22 Boise State* Boise, Idaho
Saturday Jan. 24 Idaho* Moscow, Idaho
Thursday Jan. 29 San Jose State* LAS CRUCES
Saturday Jan. 31 Hawai’i* LAS CRUCES
Thursday Feb. 5 Utah State* Logan, Utah
Saturday Feb. 7 Nevada* Reno, Nev.
Saturday Feb. 14 Fresno State* LAS CRUCES
Monday Feb. 16 Louisiana Tech* LAS CRUCES
Feb. 20/21 ESPNU BracketBuster LAS CRUCES
Thursday Feb. 26 Louisiana Tech* Ruston, La.
Monday March 2 Boise State* LAS CRUCES
Saturday March 7 Hawai’i* Honolulu, Hawai’i
March 10-14 WAC Tournament Reno, Nev.
March 19-22 NCAA First/Second Rounds
March 26-29 NCAA Regionals
April 4-6 NCAA Final Four Detroit, Mich.

A couple items of note

First regarding the men's schedule. A few people have posted another blog entry that has the Aggies in the Preseason NIT. I felt like a slacker that I hadn't mentioned that game, so I called coach Menzies, who said it was news to him so take that as you must. Menzies also said that Stanford is seriously considering pulling out in favor of another game, but that game could still get done. The last few weeks have been interesting, as about a month ago, the Aggies were close to a home and home contract with Nebraska that fell through so I guess you never know until the school releases the schedule.

Here is a story by news reporter Jose Medina on Jahmar Young who opted out of a plea deal in favor of a jury trial in September.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/news/ci_9949381

Women's schedule

NMSU released its women's schedule just now. Here it is. Going to Kansas on Jan. 4 will be a good final tuneup for conference play. The way I read it, it looks like they won't get Wake Forest in the San Diego tournament. Look for a story in Tuesday's paper.

Day Date Opponent Location Time (MT)
Sun Nov. 2 Western New Mexico – Exhibition Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Wed Nov. 5 Melbourne Roos (Australia) – Exhibition Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Fri Nov. 14 UC Irvine Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Sun Nov. 16 Cal Poly Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Thur Nov. 20 at UTEP El Paso, Texas TBA
Sun Nov. 23 at Kent State Kent, Ohio TBA
Fri Nov. 28 Loyola-Chicago ! Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Sat Nov. 29 Texas A&M Corpus Christi ! Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
ThurDec. 4 at New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. TBA
Sun Dec. 7 UTEP Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
ThurDec. 16 at Northern Colorado Greeley, Colo. TBA
Sat Dec. 20 New Mexico % Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
MonDec. 22 at Long Beach State Long Beach, Calif. TBA
Sun Dec. 28 Long Island (NY) Univ. San Diego, Calif. TBA
Tue Dec. 30 San Diego/Illinois-Chicago # San Diego, Calif. TBA
Sun Jan. 4 at Kansas Lawrence, Kan. TBA
ThurJan. 8 at Utah State * Logan, Utah TBA
Sat Jan. 10 at Nevada * Reno, Nev. TBA
Fri Jan. 16 San Jose State * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Sun Jan. 18 Fresno State * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Fri Jan. 23 at Boise State * Boise, Idaho TBA
Sun Jan. 25 at Idaho * Moscow, Idaho TBA
Fri. Jan. 30 at Louisiana Tech * Ruston, La. TBA
Fri Feb. 6 Boise State * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Sun Feb. 8 Idaho * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Fri Feb. 13 Nevada * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Sun Feb. 15 Hawai’i * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
Fri Feb. 20 at Hawai’i * Honolulu, Hawai’i TBA
Sun Feb. 22 at San Jose State * San Jose, Calif. TBA
ThurFeb. 26 Utah State * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
ThurMarch 5 at Fresno State * Fresno, Calif. TBA
Sat March 7 Louisiana Tech * Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
March 10-14 2009 WAC Tournament $ Reno, Nev. TBA

Schedule news

I have seen on a message board talk of a preseason NIT appearance. As I said on a previous response to a blogger, I remember Coach Menzies spoke about the interest in the Aggies for the preseason NIT after a game during the regular season. I haven't heard much talk develop from that, but they are listed on a preseason NIT website. It would be nice for them if it does pan out, but my understanding was that there is a push for home games at NMSU to put people back in the seats.

What I do feel confident about is the USC, Pepperdine, and I have learned of a road game at Stanford, which could have been the reason for the delay, but perhaps its putting the finishing touches on the NIT schedule.

Here is a column I wrote for Sunday's paper about the upcoming basketball season. Bottom line is that I'm also looking forward to the basketball schedule for men and women's hoops to be released.

http://www.lcsun-news.com/sports/ci_9935705

Former Aggies

After Jaydee Luster landed at Wyoming last week, I started thinking about what will happen with Wendell McKines and DeAngelo JOnes. I put some feelers out and learned that Jones signed with Cochise Junior College.
I talked to the head coach Jerry Carrillo who said DeAngelo signed a JC Letter of Intent there. He said that Jones is eager to be re-recruited to a bigger school and that he will have ample opportunity to do so which is good for him. I know Cochise puts out D I players often so who knows. It seemed like DeAngelo got lost in the shuffle last year. Gordo took advantage of the opportunities that he was given, not to mention he was a local product.

As far as WEndell, I have heard that he has been working out at St. Mary's, but I havent heard if he has signed yet. I was looking forward to seeing Wendell develop here in Cruces, but apparently he is true to his word in that he wants to be closer to family.

Men's schedule talk

The latest I have heard has the schedule being completed in the next week or so.

As I posted in another blog post, rumors have the Aggies traveling to USC and hosting Pepperdine. Another note that I have heard on the USC game is that it will be on a separate trip from the Bracketbuster payback game at Long Beach, so future Cali recruits have two shots to see NMSU in person.

So far this is what I know about the schedule
Loyala Marymount at the PAC — I learned this is a payback from two years ago that was supposed to be played last year, but for didn't occur
At North Texas
At USC
At Long Beach
Lou Henson Classic
Home and Home with UNM and UTEP
I presume the Aggies will be on the road for a Bracketbuster game since they have hosted the last two

I think there is still room for a game or two which could be causing the delay. I think it's a good schedule considering how young the Aggies will be. If USC is true, it will give them one high major opponent. The UNM - UTEP stretch could be a killer since both teams seem to have improved greatly.

Women's hoops

As you may know, NMSU guard Hannah Spanich decided to leave the Aggies this week. I wrote a story about it for Wednesday's paper. I think maybe it could hurt the Aggies early in the season as the younger players find their way, but in the end, I think Coach Spence has a lot of confidence in the guards that he brought in and from what I have heard, even freshman forward Tabytha Wampler can do some of the same things from the 3 spot. With a healthy Madison Spence and Tyshae Walton returning, I think the Aggies will be fine, but Spanich was poised to have a pretty big year. Too bad.