LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State men's basketball team returns home for its final three games of the regular-season starting this Thursday, Feb. 23, when it plays host to Utah Valley for a 7 p.m. tilt.
 
Adam Young (@youngpbp) will have the call on the ESPN3 broadcast while Rus Bradburd serves as the analyst. Fans can watch the game online or with the WatchESPN app on a variety of devices.
 
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
NM State is holding a $10 ticket promotion for NMSU staff and faculty leading up to Thursday's game. NMSU staff and faculty members can purchase $10 tickets with their NMSU ID by going to the Pan American Center ticket office. The promotion is NOT valid on game days.  In addition, NM State will be honoring its student-athletes that have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at halftime.
 
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
The following two Saturday games for NM State will be the final chance Aggie fans can take advantage of the 4-for-$40 ticket promotion where fans get four tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks for $40 dollars. Offer is NOT valid on game days. Fans can purchase this package by going to the Pan American Center ticket office or by calling 575-646-1420.
 
Saturday's game is also NM State's Hall of Fame night sponsored by US Bank as the NM State Athletic Department honors its 2017 HOF class at halftime. Jackie Choi Parker, Gwladys Nocera, James Moore and Billy Joe Price will be immortalized forever in Aggie lore.
 
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION DINNER
The New Mexico State Athletics Department will formally enshrine Jackie Choi Parker, Gwladys Nocera, James Moore and Billy Joe Price into the US Bank/NM State Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb. 20, in the Pan American Center.
 
Tickets are $40 per person for the special event, which is set to begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. (MT) followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and dessert.
 
To attend the event or for more information, please contact coordinator for special events and community engagement, Nicole Gomez, at 575-646-8050 or by email at nicolemg@nmsu.edu.
 
GET CONNECTED
Get up to the minute information and news about the NM State men's basketball team all season on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @AggieArmy.
 
LISTEN UP!
Aggie fans that can't make it to the game can listen to NM State Athletics/US Bank Hall of Famer Jack Nixon Thursday night on 99.5 Zia Country and affiliate stations. Fans can also listen to the game live with their mobile or tablet device on the TuneIn app for free. The game will be available on following affiliate stations as well:
 
Alamogordo      103.7 FM KNMZ
Albuquerque     101.7 FM KQTM
Carlsbad              1240 AM KAMQ
Gallup                   1230 AM, 94.9 FM KYVA
Las Vegas            107.1 FM KMDS
 
WHERE TO WATCH
In addition to Thursday's action against the Lopes on ESPN3, fans can catch the game LIVE on FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Southwest, FOX College Sports Central and ESPN College Extra while FOX Sports Southwest will air a replay of the game immediately after at 11 p.m. (MT).
 
ALL Times Mountain
FOX Sports Arizona (LIVE)
Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m.
DISH: SD – 415, HD - 5415 | DTV: 686 | Comcast: 258
 
FOX Sports Southwest (LIVE)
Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m.
DISH: SD – 416, HD – 5416 | DISH Hopper: 412-40 | DTV: 676
 
FOX College Sports Central (LIVE)
DTV: 608
 
ESPN College Extra (LIVE)
Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m.
DTV: 608 | DISH: 791 (May differ in different regions)
 
FOX Sports Southwest (Delay)
Thursday, Feb. 23, at 11 p.m.
DISH: SD – 416, HD – 5416 | DTV: 676
 
BAKER TABS HIS THIRD WEEKLY HONOR
Aggie senior Ian Baker was named this week's Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week after dropping a career-high 36 points this past Saturday at UT Rio Grande Valley.
 
This is the third WAC Player of the Week honor for Baker and the fourth for the Aggies in 2016-17. Baker had won it in back-to-back weeks back in December.
 
The Washington, D.C., native went 11-for-18 from the floor against the Vaqueros, including three from beyond the arc while hitting 11-of-13 shots from the line to guide NM State to a 107-101 victory and stay within one game of CSU Bakersfield in the standings.
 
Saturday's 36 points against UTRGV was the first time Baker has broken the 30-point threshold in his collegiate career and the second time an Aggie has reached that mark this season.
 
AGGIES LOOK TO FEND OFF WOLVERINES
Utah Valley has lost four of its last five games since it hosted New Mexico State in Orem back on Jan. 28, a game which the Aggies were able to pull away 74-69. The lone win for UVU during the five-game stretch was against Chicago State on the road. Utah Valley has been a much better second-half time this season, outscoring all opponents by a total of 94 points this season.
 
Connor Toolson leads the group of four players averaging in double-figures for the Wolverines, checking in with 12.6 points per game. Kenneth Ogbe is next on the list at 10.9 points per game with Isaac Neilson (10.6 ppg) and Brandon Randolph (10.3 ppg) rounding out the list. Jordan Poydras is close to averaging in double-figures with 9.6 points per game.
 
Isaac Neilson leads UVU on the glass with 9.5 rebounds per game and currently second in the conference while Randolph is the team's second-leading rebounder, averaging 5.5 boards. Randolph also paces the team with 119 assists so far this season with the next closes teammate checking in with 51 in Poydras.
 
In its last five games, Ogbe (12.6 ppg) and Poydras (10.6 ppg) have paced the Wolverines while Ivory Young checks in with a 9.4 points average. Neilson once again leads the team in rebounds (9.2 rpg) while Randolph owns a team-high 24 assists.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The NM State men's basketball team made its return to the win column last Saturday as it outscored UT Rio Grande Valley 107-101 on the road. The Aggies shot 55-percent (33-for-60) from the floor and moved to 23-4 on the year and 9-2 in WAC play. Ian Baker led all scorers with a career-high 36 points on 11-of-18 shooting to go with his seven assists and four assists.
 
Eli Chuha scored 15 of his 17 points in the second frame to go with his seven boards while Braxton Huggins recorded 16 of his 23 points. Baker also dropped 20 of his 36 points in the second half. Jemerrio Jones nearly picked up his 10th double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and nine rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
NM State remains at home as it plays host to Seattle U for a 7 p.m. contest on Saturday, Feb. 25, for its Hall of Fame night sponsored by US Bank.