NMSU 2003-04 basketball schedule

[NT80]

July 10, 2003

Las Cruces, NM - The New Mexico State men's basketball team announced its 2003-04 schedule this week which includes 12 road games, 15 home games and is highlighted by a ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday game in late February.

The Aggies will open the season with five straight home games from November 22nd to December 6th before hitting the road to face probably their toughest non-conference opponent Tulsa.

"I like our schedules for this coming season," head coach Lou Henson said. " We have lots of home ball games and we have a tough schedule. When you look at UTEP and New Mexico with our home and home games, then you have Tulsa and the tournament in Utah, I think we have a very competitive schedule."

New Mexico State's schedule in November and December will be packed full of non-conference opponents including Tulsa (Nov. 14th), in-state rival New Mexico (Dec. 3rd and Dec. 22nd), I-10 rival UTEP (Dec. 6th and Dec. 17th), Utah State (Dec. 30th) along with Texas-San Antonio, Texas-Arlington, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Eastern New Mexico.

The Aggies then open Sun Belt Conference play on the road against North Texas on Jan. 10th. NMSU will play eight home conference games in 2003-04, along with seven away contests, including an away game against 2003 Sun Belt Conference Champion Western Kentucky.

Henson and company will also host an ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday game on February 21st against a team to be named later. This will be the first time NMSU has hosted such a game. The Bracket Buster Saturday concept will match some of the nation's top NCAA Tournament hopefuls, providing participating teams with an opportunity to play a top-notch non-conference opponent just weeks prior to the NCAA Selection Sunday.

"We're honored to have been selected by the conference to participate in this year's Bracket Buster Saturday and exited that ESPN has chosen to give us a home game. Being awarded a home game is a real salute to our fans who have led the Sun Belt Conference in attendance the past two season," said NMSU Athletic Director, Brian Faison.

The Aggies will finish the regular season with conference games against both Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock before making a trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky, on March 4-9 for the 2004 Sun Belt Conference Championship.

While opponents are set, game dates and times are still subject to change due to televison. The Aggies' television schedule will be announced later this summer.

2003-04 Men's Basketball Schedule

Sat. Nov. 22 New Mexico Highlands Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Mon. Nov. 24 Texas-Arlington Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 29 Eastern New Mexico Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Wed. Dec. 3 New Mexico Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 6 UTEP Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sun. Dec. 14 @Tulsa Tulsa, Okla TBA

Wed. Dec. 17 @ UTEP El Paso, Texas 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 20 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Mon. Dec. 22 @ New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. 7:05 p.m.

Mon. Dec. 29-30 @ Utah State Tournament Logan, Utah

vs. Texas-San Antonio TBA

vs. Utah State TBA

Sat. Jan. 10 @ North Texas Denton, Texas 6:05 p.m.

Thurs. Jan. 15 New Orleans Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 17 South Alabama Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Wed. Jan. 21 @UL-Lafayette Lafayette, La. 6:05 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 24 Texas-Pan American Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Mon. Jan. 26 Florida International Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Thurs. Jan. 29 @ Middle Tennessee Murfreeboro, Tenn. 6:05 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 31 @ Western Kentucky Bowling Green, Ky. 6:05 p.m.

Thurs. Feb. 5 Denver Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 7 North Texas Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Thurs. Feb. 12 @ New Orleans New Orlenas, La. 6:05 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 14 @ South Alabama Mobile, Ala. 6:05 p.m.

Wed. Feb. 18 UL-Lafayette Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 21 TBA Bracket Buster TBA

Mon. Feb. 23 @ Denver Denver, Colo. 7:05 p.m.

Thurs. Feb. 26 Arkansas-Little Rock Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 28 Arkansas State Pan American Center 7:05 p.m.

Mar. 4-9 @ Sun Belt Conference Tourn. Bowling Green, Ky. TBA