NMSU 2013-14 schedule: Nov. 15 Game 4 vs. UTEP

Last season: 18-14, 10-6, lost to Southern Miss in C-USA semis

Key returner (s): Julian Washburn led Miners with 12.2 ppg and was the team's best defender, but shot 19 percent from 3-point range; McKenzie Moore scored 8.6 ppg once he became eligible will take over at PG; John Bohannon has had an up and down career, but he's a 6-11 senior who averaged 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks last year

Something to watch: It's NMSU's home opener and I would say last year's UTEP game at the Pan Am was the best regular season atmosphere I can remember in the six years I've covered the team. It's an important game for the Aggies for that same reason.
Regarding UTEP, does it seem like it's taken longer than expected for Tim Floyd to make his impact?
"I think it's taken a little longer after he ended up with eight seniors his first year here," said Bill Knight, the longtime UTEP writer for the El Paso Times. "He has the classes a little more staggered now. They will play up tempo if it's there. Last year they tried to run a little more but they didn't have anyone who could score. Defense won them games last year. It's something that Floyd always wants to be a staple. It was probably a strength last year and I'm sure it will be again."
Knight believes that UTEP will be better offensively, if for no other reason than the players are a year older as the Miners have five of the top seven scorers returning with Washburn, Bohannon, Moore, Cedrick Lang and CJ Cooper. Knight said Floyd is also high on redshirt freshmen Vince Hunter (6-7 post from Detroit) and Matt Willms, a 7-foot-1 center from Canada who grew up playing hockey.
The reality is that UTEP will be better than last year, even without highly touted freshman Isaac Hamilton, who was one of three recruits Floyd lost for one reason or another.

NMSU 2013-14 schedule: Nov. 11 Game 3 @ Hawaii

Game 3

@ Hawaii

Last season: 17-15, 10-8 (Lost first round Big West to Irvine; Lost CIT first round to Air Force)

Key returner (s): Christian Standhardinger, 6-8 sr. PF, senior guard Brandon Spearman 

Something to watch: This will be the Aggies best test in Hawaii, playing a true road game early on against a solid Hawaii team. Gib Arnold and Marvin Menzies are familiar with each other from Hawaii's WAC days and former San Jose State guard Keith Shamburger joins the team after sitting out last year. It's also a matchup of two very good rebounding teams. Hawaii ranked 25th in the country last year in rebounding margin.

"Something that Gib was trying to focus on this year is shoring up the guard rotation," said Brian McInnis, Hawaii beat writer for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.  "They tried to beat teams on the glass last year. They were a very good rebounding team and when they won, that was usually why. They talked about trying to push it in transition more because they think they are deeper in the guard position."

Hawaii is not as deep in the frontcourt however, but undersized Nebraska transfer Christian Standhardinger (6-8, 15 ppg, 8 rpg 32 starts) and 6-8 sophomore Isaac Fotu (10 ppg, 6 rpg, Big West Freshman of the Year) are active in the paint. 

McKinnis said freshman wing Michael Thomas and JC guard Garrett Nevels are two newcomers who could contribute.

Mullings listed as invitee to Canada Senior national team

Daniel Mullings was invited to the Canada senior national team training camp that begins Aug. 2 in Toronto.

A huge accomplishment and opportunity for him if he does indeed head back to Toronto.

I spoke briefly with Aggies coach Marvin Menzies, who said Mullings should know if he will attend the Toronto training camp sometime Tuesday. Mullings is healthy, but after playing for the past two months, there is some wear and tear on his body, not to mention he's been away from school for that period of time as well.

I could see positives to either playing or staying. Mullings is a competitor so if he's remotely healthy, it's a wonderful opportunity for him, even if he does not make the final roster.

More from Daniel Mullings

I was able to catch up with New Mexico State guard Daniel Mullings following his experience with Canada at the World University Games. Interesting side note, there is a chance Mullings could be invited to the tryouts for Canada's senior national team. Steve Nash and Jay Triano, the same coach that coached the University Games team, will announce the roster and training schedule Monday morning. Here is my story that ran on Thursday.

He expanded a little bit on the trip, the style of play, the Aggies upcoming schedule and the addition of Tanveer Bhullar. He also talked a little trash to Canada teammate and Gonzaga star Kevin Pangos on their matchup in Spokane this season.

"I did talk to (Pangos) about it and of course we were trashtalking," said Mullings of the Aggies' Dec. 7 trip to Spokane. "I didn't know we were playing but I saw a Tweet and then I checked on the Aggies App. on my phone. I'm looking forward to it. I told him, 'I'm going to be guarding you. Nobody else.'"

Mullings was guarding point guards in Canada so it will be a fun matchup to watch.

Mullings on Canada figuring out roles
"There was no distinct starting five. In China we played five on and five off with four guys sitting then when we went to Russia we started pool play like that. Me and Brady (Heslip)  were the two guards so he was on one shift and we flip flopped. The majority of the time I played with (Kevin) Pangos because he was the point guard.

Mullings on who he clicked with on the Canada roster:
"I hung out mostly with Melvin Ejim from Iowa State and Mangisto Arop from Indiana State. When I first got to training camp, my roommate was Melvin and then again in Toronto and Many was always around. And also Dwight Powell from Stanford."

Mullings on differences between the college and international game:
"The physicality. It's a lot more physical than college. The screens are more aggressive and the referees don't call little fouls. You have to play through the foul and just make sure whatever you do to try to finish because they have the continuation. It's more like the NBA. One of our first games, I was getting fouled a lot but just throwing it up and then the coaches called me over and told me to try to score because they use that. We eventually matched the physicality. A lot of play college in North America so were were used to playing and trying not to foul or put a body on someone, but once we got used to it, we started rolling."

Mullings on the offense:
"In training camp we were doing the offense and then in China we did in preparation for Russia so when we were back in Toronto we could refine things. We did a lot of pick and roll and pick and pops. There were a lot of plays that (Triano) drew up for that moment in time for a game."

Mullings on Tanveer Bhullar's commitment to NMSU
"It's crazy. I was in Russia and I got a text and it was all over Twitter. It's good for him. He can help Sim excel. He is still young and he has two good big men ahead of him that he can learn from. Those two guys are different players who can each team him what they know."

Mullings on the Aggies upcoming schedule:
"I like the schedule. We got a couple good teams and a good chance to make some noise. We have Colorado State, Arizona and Gonzaga.  I think they are winnable games, especially with the guys we have coming back. From what I have seen so far, everyone has been working hard all summer. I see guys in the gym working extra."

Tanveer Bhullar to join Aggies

Tanveer Bhullar's addition to the Aggies roster wasn't a foregone conclusion, he said. Oklahoma, Oregon, Wichita State and even UNM showed late interest.

But considering he is close with freshman Matt Taylor, Sim Bhullar and the other Canadians on the team, his comfort level on two unofficial visits this season plus Vegas and San Jose in addition to an official visit last week, made him decide to commit as a 2013 instead of prep for another year.

Tanveer Bhullar joins older brother, Sim, at New Mexico State

By Jason Groves

jgroves@lcsun-news.com

@jpgroves on Twitter

LAS CRUCES — One of the biggest teams in college basketball just got bigger.

Tanveer Bhullar, the 18-year-old, 7-foot-3 younger brother of 20-year-old, 7-foot-5 New Mexico State sophomore center Sim Bhullar, committed to the Aggies via his Twitter account on Tuesday.

“Excited to finally make my decision and announce that this fall I will be joining my brothers at NMSU!,” read his Tweet Tuesday evening.

Tanveer Bhullar picked NMSU over Oklahoma, Oregon, Wichita State and New Mexico also showed interest.

But it was a familiarity with coaches and players on the roster that led Tanveer Bhullar to pick NMSU. He said he plans to travel to Las Cruces in August.

“It felt like family there because I know half of the people on the team and it just felt like a big family,” Tanveer Bhullar said. “Other schools showed interest but I wanted to end it early. I’m happy that I’m committed and ready to head down to school and get ready to play basketball.”

It’s unclear if Tanveer Bhullar will sit out the 2013-14 season, or join his brother this year in a frontcourt rotation that also includes 6-foot-8 Canadian Renaldo Dixon and 6-foot-10 center Tshilidzi Nephawe.

“That’s what we are going to decide the first couple months in the fall what we are going to do,” Tanveer Bhullar said.

Tanveer Bhullar joined a recruiting class that included Canadian wing Matthew Taylor, point guard Travon Landry (Huntington Prep, West Va.,), Washington D.C., point guard Ian Baker and Texas power forward Kyle Wilson.

NMSU lost seniors Bandja Sy and Tyrone Watson from last year’s NCAA Tournament team while guard Eric Weary transferred to Howard College in Texas and forward B.J. West left NMSU for Jackson State University.

If and when the Bhullar brothers join forces on the basketball court, it would only be the second time. They played together at the Kiski School in 2009 when Tanveer was a freshman.

Yet playing college basketball with his brother was never a forgone conclusion or even a goal.

“It was never a goal to play at the same school,” Tanveer Bhullar said. “It was a last minute thing. I talked to him about it and he said he thought it was a good idea if I felt comfortable.”

Tanveer Bhullar was in Las Vegas during the Aggies’ latest Western Athletic Conference Tournament title run and he was in San Jose, Calif., for NMSU’s NCAA Tournament loss to Saint Louis. He played middle school basketball with Taylor and assistant coach Paul Weir has a good relationship with the Bhullar family.

“He just realized that it’s not the facility or where the campus was but you have to feel comfortable and be able to trust people and that was a big factor,” said Avneet Bhullar, the older sister. “I think it will be a lot better so we can cheer for one team and be able to see both of them and take fewer trips. The fact that they are playing together and supporting each other is the most important thing.”

Although he was in attendance for three Aggies games during last season, Tanveer Bhullar made an official visit to NMSU last weekend. His only other official visit was earlier this summer to Oklahoma. Tanveer Bhullar played at Father Henry Carr in Toronto last season.

During the regular season, Tanveer Bhullar said he was leaning toward a commitment for 2014, but he obviously had a change of heart.

“I got my diploma and I realized that spending another year in high school won’t mean as much compared to spending a year in college with college coaches and college trainers,” Tanveer Bhullar said.

Sim Bhullar will be among the top players in the Western Athletic Conference his sophomore season. He averaged 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last season, earning WAC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after leading the Aggies to their second straight conference championship.

“He was just telling me that I have to know that if I came to NMSU, I wasn’t allowed to slack off, which I took as a positive thing,” Tanveer Bhullar said. “He is there to push me and help me out.”

Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459

NMSU 2013-14 schedule: Nov. 8/9 Game 2 vs. Tennessee State (Rainbow Classic)

Game 2
Tennessee State
Last season: 18-15, 11-5 and third place in the Ohio Valley. Lost in conference semis. (CIT)
Key returner (s): Senior guard Patrick Miller 14.8 ppg, 34 percent 3-point, 6 apg;
Something to watch: The Aggies could have an experience edge on Tennessee State as well. Miller is one of four seniors but only junior MJ Rhett and senior forward Michael Green saw extended time on the court last year and by extended it doesn't seem like they were much of a factor.

NMSU 2013-14 schedule: Nov. 8/9 Game 1 vs. Western Michigan (Rainbow Classic)

I wanted to do a brief look at each of the Aggies upcoming opponents. I'm not sure in which order NMSU will open the Rainbow Classic but Western Michigan is listed as the first game.

Game 1
Western Michigan
Last season: 22-13, 10-6 in Mid American (Lost in Conference semis, NIT)
Key returner (s): Redshirt senior center Shayne Whittington and redshirt senior guard David Brown. Whittington (13 ppg) and Brown (11 ppg) were the teams top two scorers last year. At 6-11, Whittington was and is the team's biggest player. The next two biggest players on the team's 2013-14 roster are 6-8 redshirt freshman Kellen McCormick and 6-7 freshman Mario Masasovic.
Something to watch: I think NMSU should open the season with a couple wins at least in Hawaii. But it's always interesting to see how things fit together if this is in fact their season opener.