New Mexico vs. New Mexico State: Game Preview, TV & Radio, Odds, Schedule, More

The Lobos take on the Aggies in the Rio Grande Rivalry

Contact/Follow @ColdHardContent & @MWCwire

Can Paul Weir secure his first win over his former program?

WEEK 2: New Mexico Lobos (2-0, 0-0 Mountain West) vs. New Mexico State Aggies (2-1)

WHEN: Saturday, November 17 — 4:00 PM MT/3:00 PM PT

WHERE: Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit; Albuquerque, New Mexico (15,411)

TV: AT&T SportsNet

STREAM: None

RADIO: New Mexico | New Mexico State

SERIES RECORD: New Mexico leads 121-99

WEBSITES: GoLobos.com, the official New Mexico athletics website | NMStatesports.com, the official New Mexico State athletics website

ODDS: New Mexico -1

New Mexico (2-0) stays in Albuquerque to take on their in-state rival, New Mexico State, in the 220th iteration of the Rio Grande Rivalry.

Lobo head coach Paul Weir looks to beat the Aggies for the first time as New Mexico’s head coach. Since his move northward to Albuquerque from Las Cruces, Weir is 0-2 against his former program.

The Aggies (2-1) come into the rivalry match-up having recently endured a 73-58 home loss to future Lobo foe Saint Mary’s Gaels in a game that saw New Mexico State shoot 11.1% from three-point range. Through three games, the Aggies are an abysmal 329th in the nation from deep, shooting 25% thus far.

The Lobos’ last contest, also against the Gaels (of Iona), resulted in a 90-83 win for New Mexico in a home contest that was close throughout. Early in the game, the Gaels were shooting at a high clip, but were held to a 38% field goal percentage in the second half and 40% from the floor for the game.

In contrast to the Gaels’ offense, the Lobos’ offense was clicking and fired at a rate of 40.0% from three and 50.9% from the floor for the game. Through its first two games, New Mexico has had offensive production from a variety of players with six players averaging in double figures. Leading the way for the home team are Corey Manigault, Anthony Mathis and Vance Jackson who are averaging 17, 13 and 12.5 points per game respectively.

Jackson and Manigault each finished with a double-double against the Gaels, and should continue to be weapons – both offensively and on the glass -against the Aggies.

It’s hard to gauge where New Mexico State is at this point in the season, but they do have some weapons of their own including Indian Hills Community College transfer Ivan Aurrecoechea. Aurrecoechea is a former teammate of Corey Manigault who started for the the 33-1 Indian Hills team, making for an interesting match-up in the paint. Manigault saw limited time on the floor with his former school, averaging 3.2 minutes per game through 22 games.

New Mexico State, like New Mexico, distributes the minutes among a variety of players, so don’t be surprised if they hang around a little longer against this well-conditioned Lobo roster.

This should be a rivalry game much in the vein of its 114 year old history – a close, fast paced, emotional battle with the home team just barely having enough to come out on top.