Returning to the Big West likely not an option

One league I had hoped to see see New Mexico State find its way into was the Big West.

There is familiarity there, it's a solid hoops league, or at least on par with what the WAC has become in the last three years, and it makes just as much sense from a travel standpoint than what NMSU has since joining the WAC since the Big West would need one more school for an even number.

Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell has been the league's commish for the past 21 years and involved with the league for 32 years. I spoke with Farrell last week, and although he refrained from answering direct questions about NMSU as a potential member, it became apparent, at least to me, that if the Big West were to move from 11 to 12 teams, New Mexico State is far from an ideal candidate.

The WAC has taken Big West schools in the past and the Big West was forced to survive. It's ironic the roles have reversed.

"Conferences have two reasons to expand," Farrell said. "One is for survival and the other is for opportunity. In the past, the Big West has had to expand for survival. Fortunately, we are in a situation right now where we are able to expand for opportunities that will make us better. I don't tempt fate in that regard. All three additions we have made in the last 18 months, we haven't made rash decisions."

The main reason is football. The Big West doesn't play football, of course, but Farrell told me football still had to be considered when making additions to his league.

Just as ironically, it was football that got NMSU into the Big West.

"When they joined in the early 80s, the thing that appealed to them was a Division I-A at the time football conference and they were in the MIssouri Valley at the time. Back in the early 2000s when we were getting out of the football business, we told the remaining football schools in the conference they were welcome to stay but it would ultimately be phased out. North Texas and New Mexico State were moving their programs to the Sun Belt at the time and Boise was leaving for the WAC. Idaho and Utah State were the  last two and they left in 2004 for the WAC."

Consider the football programs of the three schools the Big West has added in the past 18 months: Hawaii, Boise State and San Diego State. All three schools had a solution for their football programs — Hawaii to Mountain West and Boise State and San Diego State in the Mountain West this year followed by membership to the Big East.

"I don't think we are motivated to continuing to expand our footprint," Farrell said. "We are more inclined to look at more schools within the footprint that we now have, from Honalulu to Boise. The No. 1 thing is the stability of our conference. I feel like we are one of the more stable conferences out there right now."

Following Pacific's departure to the West Coast Conference, the Big West will have 11 members in two years, not an ideal number for travel partners, but it didn't seem to be a huge concern for Farrell.

"We are open to opportunities as they present themselves but we are not in a rush to get to any particular number. We were prepared to go to 11 before Pacific left. We know there will be some scheduling challenges in men's and women's basketball and volleyball but it won't be a driving force on us to make a decision on future expansion. We are only interested if we feel that an institution feels like it's on an upward trajectory. Hawaii, San Diego State and Boise State were all valuable assets as we deal with new media rights negotiations."

Farrell said the Big West is in the final stages for regional tier 2 rights and just entering negotiations for the tier 1 national rights with ESPN, which he says adding the three schools should help make the league more attractive. There is also hope that the Big West can latch on with a new Time Warner regional package and a connection with Fox.

I asked Farrell about a possible merger with the Mountain West in the future:

"I don't really see what value would be of that. The NCAA only gives an automatic bid to one conference," he said.

Boise State, San Diego State and the Big East are helping ease the move by chipping in with travel costs as they join the league. Outside of Hawaii and Boise State, if Farrell says the league isn't interested in expanding its future footprint, it doesn't look like a good fit for New Mexico State in the future.

At least for now, but we all know how fast things have been changing.

NMSU hoops non conference

Here is what I've been able to put together. I think it's a better overall schedule than last year despite the absence of a big name opponent. There is a realistic chance to get a win over a Pac 12, MVC and Conf. USA team. There is also an opportunity for the Aggies to get off to a good start and we saw how that helped last year as opposed to previous slow starts. Finally, with a young team that will need some time to figure things out, you don't want a really difficult schedule when in all likelihood the Aggies would have to win the WAC anyway.

Nov. 11 — @ Oregon St.
Nov. 15 — Southest Louisiana
Nov. 17 — @Niagra (Tournament)
Nov. 18 — vs. Bucknell @Niagra
Nov. 21 — Highlands
Nov. 23 — Louisiana Lafeyette
Nov. 28 — @UTEP
Dec. 1 — Southern Miss
Dec. 4 — @South Alabama
Dec. 15 — @UNM
Dec. 19 — UNM
Dec. 21 — Missouri State
Feb. 23 — UTEP


Drake will be returned next year. South Alabama comes to Las Cruces next year
The UTEP date fills in for a Bracket Buster date.

Men's hoops non-conference opponents

From what we know or what I've heard, the NMSU non-conference schedule could include the following:

Home games
Southeast Louisiana — Nov. 15
Southern Miss — Dec. 1
UNM — Dec. 19
Missouri State —Dec. 22
UTEP — Feb. 23

Away games

Oregon State 

South Alabama 

Niagra 

UNM — Dec. 15
UTEP —Nov. 28

Denver Pioneers

I normally do the preseason story on NMSU for one of the national publications. I wrote them last week asking about this year's issue, but there will be no extended story on the Aggies because NMSU was picked third in the Western Athletic Conference by this particular magazine.

I could see it I guess.

I haven't thought extensively about my preseason poll, but I had NMSU and Utah State in the top two in some order with Denver and Idaho following in some order  yet to be determined. This publication had Denver picked behind Utah State.

To begin with, Utah State lost a lot, although they had some touted guys sitting out. Same could be said for NMSU with NMSU likely returning the most size in the league again.

Denver was kind of a surprise to me, entering a league this season.

The Pioneers beat Utah State in Logan last year early in the year and picked up an early win over Saint Mary's as well. They also beat Southern Miss, something NMSU couldn't do in two attempts.

Denver finished the season 22-9 and 11-5 in the Sun Belt losing in the conference semifinals under fifth year coach Joe Scott. Scott runs the Princeton offense, which could make for an interesting game when the Aggies and Pioneers play this year. NMSU has done well against slower paced teams in the league already, but patience has always been a challenge here.

Denver was eighth nationally last year field goal percentage (48.8 percent) and 3-point percentage (39.8 percent). DU's style of played ranked them 173rd in scoring offense at 68 ppg, but they gave up just 60 ppg despite allowing opponents to shoot 44 percent against them. NMSU guarded the 3 extremely well last year and DU relied on the arc for 36 percent of its offense last year. I'm sure the offense created many open looks. as they were in the top 20 in assists per game.

In terms of personnel, 6-6 wing Chris Udofia is the leading returning scorer at 14.5 ppg. 6-5 forward Royce Oneale averaged 9.9. Udofia and Oneale led the Pioneers in rebounding last year at over 5 per game. Chase Hallam and Brett Olson are both guards who shot over 40 percent from 3 last year.

With four starters returning, and it's also worth noting is that DU signed Xavier transfer Griffin McKenzie who will sit out this year, Denver will be a good addition to the WAC, but topping the league's top 2 schools recently as a team that has never reached the NCAA Tournament? I'm not so sure.

Aggies closing in on contract extension

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State and head men’s basketball coach Marvin Menzies are closing in on a multiyear contract extension.

According to sources, the two sides have agreed to an extension, although a contract has not been signed. The extension is believed to add three years to Menzies’ current contract that is set to expire in 2014. Financial considerations for the deal were unavailable.

Menzies and NMSU officials declined to comment.

Menzies’ original three-year deal was extended in 2009 for three years and again in 2011 through the 2014 season.

Menzies made a base salary of $280,500 last season after winning his second Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship in the past three years, as well as $60,000 in incentives according to a USA Today database listing college coaching salaries for programs that reached the 2012 NCAA Tournament. According to the same USA Today database, Utah State head coach Stew Morrill made $551,444 after guiding Utah State to the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

The Aggies are 102-68 (60 percent win percentage) overall in five seasons under Menzies and 68-27 (72 percent) in the WAC.

Menzies was among the candidates interviewed for the vacant Colorado State job in the offseason before pulling his name out of consideration. The Rams hired Larry Eustachy from Southern Mississippi.

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

Wendell McKines update

I spoke with Wendell McKines on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft. McKines is focusing on the NBA Summer Leagues in July.

McKines worked out with the Warriors twice, Cleveland, Phoenix and the Kings while his agent pushed for McKines' landing with a team in the summer, not only for hopes of landing with a NBA team but garnering interest from teams in Europe.

McKines said two themes came out of each workout and anyone who watched his career at NMSU wouldn't be shocked. His energy level and heart were strengths and his lack of a consistent jumper and size were obstacles.

McKines will make money playing basketball somewhere. I hope he lands in the NBA, but I don't see him getting drafted on Thursday. Every NBA team has a guy like McKines on the roster and his ability as a rebounder is a specialty that makes  him intriguing, especially after watching him do it in the All Star game and averaging 18 and 10 at the Portsmouth Invite against good competition.

In the five years I've covered the Aggies, I believe McKines to be the most well prepared to go to one of the better leagues in Europe initially. Billy Keys, Justin Hawkins, Jonathan Gibson, Jahmar Young and Troy Gillenwater have all enjoyed success in Europe, but I think McKines' college resume and skill set will earn him a nice living.

2012-13 leadership

I talked with Daniel Mullings and Bandja Sy last week as they started their summer workouts and will have feature stories on each player in the coming week. Here is my story on Mullings, who is working on his offense in the summer time. 

Leadership wasn't an issue for the Aggies last year as there was a clear hierarchy in the lockerroom it seemed that started with Wendell McKines and trickled down to the experience of fellow seniors Hernst Laroche and Hamidu Rahman.

I would argue that along with the skill level of those players, the leadership and experience were just as important to the team's Tournament season. You can have all of the physical tools in the world, but if personalities don't mesh, as seemed to be the case last year prior to Christian Kabongo's departure, it could lead to a slow start and then who knows  what can happen.

With McKines and Laroche gone, who steps into those shoes next year?

The first player to come to mind is Tyrone Watson. He's proven to be an important player in the past two years and he has the experience and he's one of only two seniors. I love Tyrone's game and I think he is the man for the job, but this is probably the first time I can remember where the team's best leader coming into the season is not the best player. Not neccesarily a requirement for a leader, but it's a new dynamic for the Aggies dating back to Justin Hawkins, Jahmar Young and Jonathan Gibson and most recently with Wendell McKines and Hernst Laroche. Those were all guys who put up numbers every night while Tyrone is more of a steady presence who is not great in any category but is a complete player.

As the other senior, Bandja Sy will also have the respect of his teammates, if not for his experience the past two years, but also the physical gifts he possesses. Sy is a quiet personality by nature, and even Sy knows leadership isn't his strong suit, but it's something you can work on.

The third player who I could see having an impact on a leadership level is sophomore point guard KC Ross-Miller. I've spoken with Ross-Miller just once, and really don't know much about the makeup of the player or his game, but just from a position standpoint, the point guard is normally a player his teammates listen to and respect. He certainly has some big shoes to fill in that regard.

I'm sure there are personalities that will emerge as roles are defined this summer and fall. I was impressed with both incoming freshman Matej Buovac (a captain on his Croatia junior national team) and Kevin Aronis, who joins the Aggies with the maturity of a junior.