NuMexAg

Hola folks, The Aggies in the DFW area are looking forward to this game as well. After last year's meltdown in Las Cruces, we owe you one! I think there will be a fair amount of crimson in the crowd Saturday. Our team this year is very young - no scholarship seniors and only one junior. We have some talent, but we are still learning. Usually we play a small but very quick lineup, and can get up and down the floor pretty well. So far though we haven't demonstrated a very good inside game. Our 2 bigs have potential, but haven't really put it together yet - and they are somewhat slow footed. Also we are getting killed on the boards - Kansas out rebounded us by 20. The good part is that we are pretty active defensively and shoot the 3 well. We've also played some decent teams on the road (and lost) - OK, Kansas is more than decent. Looking forward to a good game!

I think you are absolutely right that winning is more important to attendance than conference affiliation. NMSU had better attendance in the Sun Belt than we have had in the WAC, mainly because we have really struggled since joining the WAC. 0-12, 4-8, 4-9 doesn't do much for attendance (and it wasn't all that great before). I don't think our casual fan knows the difference between Utah State and ULM (though they certainly know the difference between UTEP or UNM and anybody). I think though that conference affiliation is a much bigger factor in recruiting, and that eventually the affiliation with the WAC will pay big dividends for NMSU. We are clearly more athletic than we were 3 years ago. Not sure we are a better team - but no question we have upgraded athletes since joining the WAC. And - NMSU's attendance will be much better in 2008. Just having 6 home games (and none on ESPN) instead of 7 will help. Those after-Thanksgiving games when you have a lousy record are attendance killers. Good luck in 2008.

NMSU will be fine with attendance. I think the article sensationalizes the situation a little (or maybe a lot). If we miss the mark in 2008, we will be placed in a probation status - not be removed from 1A. We will have to miss it two more years to be bumped. I also get the impression this question was initiated by the newspaper - not by Karl Benson. Benson was just responding to the question. Lots of schools are in worse shape than NMSU, and I think the NCAA is setting themselves up for a legal battle down the road if they don't figure out a way out of this requirement. But regardless, I don't think NMSU will have to be concerned. NMSU missed the mark in 2007 by only 500 or so per game - and that was with a very disappointing team, playing a 7 game home schedule, 2 of which were Friday night ESPN affairs, which are historically poorly attended because they conflict with HS football. Not surprisingly we have no TV games this year, and no Friday night home games. We also play host to Boise State, Hawaii and heated rival New Mexico, so I think attendance will be much better. As for missing playing UNT - those of us Aggies in the DFW area certainly do! - but I doubt we will get anything scheduled in the near future. Just not enough open slots for us, with two OOC games locked in each year against UTEP and UNM and one money game somewhere (Nebraska this year, Ohio State next). We do play you in Denton in basketball this coming year, so I expect a good crowd for that one!! I would love for that to become a regularly scheduled series. Our AD said they are exploring the idea (BB not FB).

Word from NMSU sources is that NMSU will indeed play at UNT during the 2008-09 season. Should be fun!

4 team tournament I believe. The other team is Chicago State.

NMSU just announced a change in our BB schedule - UNT will play in the Lou Henson Classic in early December in Las Cruces. Previously Savannah State had been scheduled, so the Mean Green are a very nice upgrade. Any word on whether there will be a return game in Denton in '08 or '09? I would love to have us re-start this rivalry.

Just another perspective... From NMSU's standpoint the move to the WAC has been a HUGE improvement. FB attendance did decline in 2005 - but only because we turned in an 0-12 goose egg. Attendance in 2006 was up. Attendance in 2007 is looking to be up again (and we play UTEP or UNM at home every year - including our Sun Belt years - so no difference there). Donations are way up. National exposure is way up (NMSU FB was on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU 4 times in 2005 and once in 2006. Also check out BB - national exposure in the WAC is much higher). As a result our recruiting is way up. NMSU had to pay an entrance fee - but that has been paid now and we will start receiving full revenues (including our share of Boise State's jackpot). The WAC is not well publicized in Texas (I know I live here), but it IS well publicized in the West. Most of the members of the WAC are the primary schools in their state. They are the name schools there, and generally fans respond to that. Having said that I think UNT made the right move to stay in the Belt. Fans and recruits here will not respond to the WAC any better than they respond to the Belt. They will respond to winning (eventually). UNT just needs to again start winning the Sun Belt. I expect Todd Dodge to start helping along those lines pretty soon. Best of luck!

We are hoping for big things from Reggie. A lot of people are pretty excited, and the NMSU is providing the resources for him to be successful. He comes well-recommended for the job by Rick Pitino, but as you all have mentioned - a big name coach does not necessarily guarantee success. I don't remember what Clyde Drexler's coaching experience was when he took over at UH. Seems like it was pretty slim. This is Theus' first college HC job. He has been an assistant for several years (last 2 at Louisville) and was HC of an NBA minor league team. We shall see! Maybe we can visit the Super Pit and show him off some time soon!

My wife and I'll be there! - oh and also for the 8:00 game. Hope a lot of Mean Green fans stick around to root for the Aggies - we need all the help we can get!