New Mexico State pregame notes

Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 9:20 am | Comments

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If the Wildcats were favored tonight at New Mexico State, you could call it a trap game: A favored (and presumably overconfident) high-major visiting a mid-major with more experience and a rowdy homecourt environment behind them.

But the Wildcats have lost two straight games in a row. Their confidence is shaken.

And they're not favorites.

According to VegasInsider, the Wildcats opened as a 1.5-point underdog and as of this posting, were a 3-point underdog, suggesting bettors are favoring NMSU.

So it's hard to call it a trap game for the Wildcats. Just a tough game.

The Aggies "are a terrific team," Sean Miller said.

The Las Cruces Sun-News says it's a perfect recipe for an upset (if UA is considered a favorite).

Our coverage: A main preview discussing how rare this matchup is. Lute Olson, after all, never scheduled a road game at NMSU. And a scouting report in which I take a guess at what Miller's lineup will be tonight.

UA is officially listing Kyryl Natyazhko at center, but as Anthony Gimino says, he's on thin ice.

Here's the official game notes from Arizona and from New Mexico State.

The Aggies will hold a "white out" and, FWIW, are bringing in El Paso fighter David Rodriguez to sign autographs tonight before fighting there Saturday.

Tonight's game will be carried on Fox Sports Arizona Plus, the same supplemental channel that carried the San Diego State game.

Here are the scheduled channels you can find it on:

Cox 73, 1073 (HD)

DirecTV (Arizona Wildcats) 695

DISH (Arizona Wildcats) 448

Comcast (Tucson) 17

Century Link 999

Orbitel (Maricopa) 899

Western (Robson Ranch, Saddlebrooke, Sun Lakes, SunBird) 779

NPG/Suddenlink (Flagstaff, Kingman, Lake Havasu, Parker, Payson, Sedona) 156

However, this is only what I've been told from producers and could change. Bob from Flagstaff wrote me to say the game will be on Suddenlink Channel 125 in Flagstaff, not 156, for example.

In any case, if you get FS Arizona you should get FS Arizona Plus popping up with the UA game at 7 p.m. MT.

And, are any of you making the trip to Las Cruces? Please post if you are. I'm wondering if UA will have much of a fan presence in what could be a sold-out Pan American Center...