I produced two matchups against Louisiana that brought record crowds. Your post was wrong. Next!

(08-20-2022 01:31 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 03:19 AM)RT98 Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 02:46 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 12:38 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(08-18-2022 03:55 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  Matchups against Louisiana and App State didn’t generate much interest either.

On January 16, 2020, 5,714 saw Louisiana and UTA play in women's basketball. On Feb 18, 2016, 3,007 saw Louisiana and UTA play in women's basketball.

I know, I know, not a "real" sport to you, but that is more than the average draw for Seattle men's basketball.

Seattle has been unable to generate the fan interest while in the WAC that they initially garnered when they returned to D1 basketball back in 2010. In 2011, Seattle averaged 4,614 per game. Back then Seattle U was using the KeyArena for every home game. However, Cameron Dollar pretty much killed all that initial fan interest with his Redhawk team's lackluster performances. Dollar was a big name without much coaching ability. Last season was by far Seattle's strongest team since returning to D1. This season, we will see if Chris Victor is legit as a D1 head coach or simply riding the coat tails of Hayford and the recruiting foundation he had established prior. Dawson, Schumacher, Lloyd, Reiley, and Grante-Haliday is Victor's first recruiting class. We will see if any of these players will make a similar impact to what some of Hayford's players did prior... i.e. Terrell Brown Jr. and Darrion Trammell.

As for UTA, Scott Cross was starting to gain some fan interest with his team's performance. However, since his departure the inroads he made with UTA fan support has started dropping off again.

I hope Seattle continues their success and we start having success again, this is a series I would enjoy. I think that the whole WAC is really a decent basketball conference. New Mexico state is going to be a huge loss for the conference, so we are going to have to step it up to help soften the blow.

That would be great to see. UTA has potential, but hasn’t put it together. NMSU is a loss, but “huge” is a little far fetched. 1 bid league, remains a 1 bid league. Now, if the conference were to remain together with NMSU, maybe years down the line, it could have been “a lot better”.

For years, NMSU's performance has propped up the WAC's strength and the bid the conference received in the NCAA Tourney. The WAC will never have a team as dominant as NMSU on a year-to-year basis moving forward.

(08-21-2022 08:42 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 01:31 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 03:19 AM)RT98 Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 02:46 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-20-2022 12:38 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  On January 16, 2020, 5,714 saw Louisiana and UTA play in women's basketball. On Feb 18, 2016, 3,007 saw Louisiana and UTA play in women's basketball.

I know, I know, not a "real" sport to you, but that is more than the average draw for Seattle men's basketball.

Seattle has been unable to generate the fan interest while in the WAC that they initially garnered when they returned to D1 basketball back in 2010. In 2011, Seattle averaged 4,614 per game. Back then Seattle U was using the KeyArena for every home game. However, Cameron Dollar pretty much killed all that initial fan interest with his Redhawk team's lackluster performances. Dollar was a big name without much coaching ability. Last season was by far Seattle's strongest team since returning to D1. This season, we will see if Chris Victor is legit as a D1 head coach or simply riding the coat tails of Hayford and the recruiting foundation he had established prior. Dawson, Schumacher, Lloyd, Reiley, and Grante-Haliday is Victor's first recruiting class. We will see if any of these players will make a similar impact to what some of Hayford's players did prior... i.e. Terrell Brown Jr. and Darrion Trammell.

As for UTA, Scott Cross was starting to gain some fan interest with his team's performance. However, since his departure the inroads he made with UTA fan support has started dropping off again.

I hope Seattle continues their success and we start having success again, this is a series I would enjoy. I think that the whole WAC is really a decent basketball conference. New Mexico state is going to be a huge loss for the conference, so we are going to have to step it up to help soften the blow.

That would be great to see. UTA has potential, but hasn’t put it together. NMSU is a loss, but “huge” is a little far fetched. 1 bid league, remains a 1 bid league. Now, if the conference were to remain together with NMSU, maybe years down the line, it could have been “a lot better”.

For years, NMSU's strength has propped up the WAC's strength and the bid the conference received in the NCAA Tourney. The WAC will never have a team as dominant as NMSU on a year-to-year basis moving forward.

“HUGE” would be Gonzaga leaving the WCC. NMSU isn’t a Top 25 program and has 1 NCAA tournament win as a WAC member. Will the WAC be “better” or “just as good” without them? Very likely not, but the WAC will still get 1 bid and as long as it’s a team with a winning record, won’t be in a 16 seed PIG.

When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

Totally. Natural rivals like Liberty, FIU, and Middle Tennessee?

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

YAWN. You are pure crass, rebel.

(08-22-2022 10:04 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

Totally. Natural rivals like Liberty, FIU, and Middle Tennessee?

Besides UTEP, NMSU has prior basketball history competing against Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Florida International and Louisiana Tech. NMSU competed against La Tech in the Sun Belt in 2001 and in the WAC from 2006-2013. And NMSU competed against WKU, MTSU, and FIU for five seasons in the Sun Belt from 2001 to 2005.

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

Yes I think this is a great move for the Aggies, but I was so looking forward to being in a conference with them again so I am a little sad.

(08-23-2022 01:40 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 10:04 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

Totally. Natural rivals like Liberty, FIU, and Middle Tennessee?

Besides UTEP, NMSU has prior basketball history competing against Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Florida International and Louisiana Tech. NMSU competed against La Tech in the Sun Belt in 2001 and in the WAC from 2006-2013. And NMSU competed against WKU, MTSU, and FIU for five seasons in the Sun Belt from 2001 to 2005.

I think NMSU has played every D1 school not part of a P5 thanks to jumping all over the place for conference security over the years. Hopefully CUSA doesn't fall a part after Big10 and SEC go shopping again and we see a trickle down to CUSA.

(08-23-2022 01:40 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 10:04 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

Totally. Natural rivals like Liberty, FIU, and Middle Tennessee?

Besides UTEP, NMSU has prior basketball history competing against Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Florida International and Louisiana Tech. NMSU competed against La Tech in the Sun Belt in 2001 and in the WAC from 2006-2013. And NMSU competed against WKU, MTSU, and FIU for five seasons in the Sun Belt from 2001 to 2005.

Is competing against them, mean they’re your rival? Is Chicago State your rival? They competed against you for 10 years. Far longer than MTSU, FIU, WKU, and LaTech.

(08-23-2022 09:21 AM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-23-2022 01:40 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  Totally. Natural rivals like Liberty, FIU, and Middle Tennessee?


. . .
Besides UTEP, NMSU has prior basketball history competing against Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Florida International and Louisiana Tech. NMSU competed against La Tech in the Sun Belt in 2001 and in the WAC from 2006-2013. And NMSU competed against WKU, MTSU, and FIU for five seasons in the Sun Belt from 2001 to 2005.

Is competing against them, mean they’re your rival? Is Chicago State your rival? They competed against you for 10 years. Far longer than MTSU, FIU, WKU, and LaTech.

I believe the intensity of the contests with those teams was solid, but not really at the level of rivalry. However, the dynamics of the conference(s) have changed, and I would expect at least a couple of those to rise to rivalry status within a couple of years.

(08-23-2022 09:21 AM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-23-2022 01:40 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 10:04 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(08-22-2022 09:48 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  When they go to the new CONFUSA, WACsters will miss NMSU's strong basketball presence, plus their absence from this board will be huge, no doubt. But it's good they will be at home with UTEP and other natural rivals. Good luck, Aggies!

Totally. Natural rivals like Liberty, FIU, and Middle Tennessee?

Besides UTEP, NMSU has prior basketball history competing against Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Florida International and Louisiana Tech. NMSU competed against La Tech in the Sun Belt in 2001 and in the WAC from 2006-2013. And NMSU competed against WKU, MTSU, and FIU for five seasons in the Sun Belt from 2001 to 2005.

Is competing against them, mean they’re your rival? Is Chicago State your rival? They competed against you for 10 years. Far longer than MTSU, FIU, WKU, and LaTech.

In the time NMSU joined in the Sun Belt, the level of competition did heighten with Western Kentucky as both schools were the top programs/peers of that time. Admittedly, WKU came out on top as the SBC's representative in the NCAA tournament. But at the time, NMSU had an aging Lou Henson at the helm and WKU was led by Dennis Felton. WKU had a very dominant 7'1 center in Chris Marcus that stood in NMSU's way.

And, in 2013, Louisiana won the WAC regular season with Mike White at the helm. However, the WAC tournament was dancing to the Texas-two-step as UTSA, UTA, and Texas State all won their quarterfinal games. When the dust settled, NMSU was once again the WAC Tournament Champion. They beat UT Arlington 64-55 in the Tournament final.

To answer the question why a move to C-USA is good for NMSU in basketball, below are the average RPIs of the WAC and CUSA schools over the last 25 years...

1. New Mexico State (C-USA) - 106.2 (RPI high - 23)
2. Western Kentucky (C-USA) - 110.2 (RPI high - 26)
3. Louisiana Tech (C-USA) - 136.5 (RPI high - 29)
4. Middle Tennessee (C-USA) - 151.3 (RPI - 30)
5. UTEP (C-USA) - 159.7 (RPI high - 34)
6. Sam Houston State (C-USA) - 162.7 (RPI high - 69)
7. Stephen F. Austin (WAC) - 167.4 (RPI high - 35)
8. Grand Canyon (WAC) - 168.8 (RPI high - 86)
9.UT Arlington (WAC) - 186.7 (RPI high - 40)
10. Utah Valley (WAC) - 217.2 (RPI high - 68)
11. Abilene Christian (WAC) - 225.9 (RPI high - 66)
12. Tarleton State (WAC) - 226.0 (RPI high - 221)
13. Liberty (C-USA) - 231.2 (RPI high - 66)
14. Florida International (C-USA) - 234.3 (RPI high - 65)
15. California Baptist (WAC) - 235.0 (RPI high 206)
16. Jacksonville State (C-USA) - 244.8 (RPI high - 102)
17. Southern Utah (WAC) - 247.4 (RPI high - 66)
18. Seattle U (WAC) - 247.5 (RPI high - 103)
19. Utah Tech (WAC) - 266.5 (RPI high - 216)
20. UT Rio Grande Valley (WAC) - 283.1 (RPI high - 149)

NMSU left a definite mark on the WAC and will be missed...

In 17 years...

- NMSU has won a share of the WAC Regulars Season Championship... 7 times (2008, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)

- NMSU has won the WAC Tournament Championship... 10 times (2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)

- NMSU competed in the WAC Tournament Finals... 13 of 16 times (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)

- NMSU's Coach of the Year... 4 times (Marvin Menzies - 2015, Chris Jans - 2018,2019,2020)

- NMSU's Player of the Year... 5 times (Daniel Mullings - 2014, Pascal Siakam - 2016, Ian Baker - 2017, Jemerrio Jones - 2018, Teddy Allen - 2022)

- NMSU WAC Tournament MVP... 10 times (Justin Hawkins - 2007, Jahmar Young - 2010, Wendell McKines - 2012, Sim Bhullar - 2013, 2014, Tshilidzi 'Chili' Nephawe - 2015, Ian Baker - 2017, Jemerrio Jones - 2018, Trevelin Queen - 2019, Teddy Allen - 2022)

NCAA Opponents

2007 - #11 Texas (4 seed) - 87-79 Loss
2010 - #13 Michigan State (5 seed) - 70-67 Loss
2012 - #16 Indiana (4 seed) - 79-66 Loss
2013 - #13 Saint Louis (4 seed) - 64-44 Loss
2014 - #13 San Diego State (4 seed) - 73-69 OT Loss
2015 - #10 Kansas (2 seed) - 75-66 Loss
2017 - #12 Baylor (3 seed) - 91-73 Loss
2018 - #20 Clemson (5 seed) - 79-68 Loss
2019 - #14 Auburn (5 seed) - 78-77 Loss
2022 - #21 Connecticut (5 seed) - 70-63 Win, #17 Arkansas (4 seed) - 53-48 Loss

Great posts, pistol. You obviously did a lot of research to put this info together.

That being said, I think it's funny that you say NMSU will be missed. That's for the other schools/posters to decide, not an NMSU poster. There are many facets to consider. When looking at the WAC holistically, yes, NMSU propped up several of the WAC metrics and numbers. But NMSU was the main beneficiary of those numbers as we were the ones regularly getting to the big dance. If I was a member of another WAC institution, I would probably be glad that NMSU was leaving as it would increase my chances of making the big dance.

(08-23-2022 03:14 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  Great posts, pistol. You obviously did a lot of research to put this info together.

That being said, I think it's funny that you say NMSU will be missed. That's for the other schools/posters to decide, not an NMSU poster. There are many facets to consider. When looking at the WAC holistically, yes, NMSU propped up several of the WAC metrics and numbers. But NMSU was the main beneficiary of those numbers as we were the ones regularly getting to the big dance. If I was a member of another WAC institution, I would probably be glad that NMSU was leaving as it would increase my chances of making the big dance.

From an administration aspect, the rest of the WAC schools will chug on. But from a fans aspect I think losing NMSU will matter. I know the Big West was less fun when UNLV left. I think the other WCC school's fans would hate to lose Gonzaga. I think fans get amped up playing against a basketball nemesis. At the mid-major level, NMSU has been a tough mountain to climb.

(08-23-2022 03:47 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-23-2022 03:14 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  Great posts, pistol. You obviously did a lot of research to put this info together.

That being said, I think it's funny that you say NMSU will be missed. That's for the other schools/posters to decide, not an NMSU poster. There are many facets to consider. When looking at the WAC holistically, yes, NMSU propped up several of the WAC metrics and numbers. But NMSU was the main beneficiary of those numbers as we were the ones regularly getting to the big dance. If I was a member of another WAC institution, I would probably be glad that NMSU was leaving as it would increase my chances of making the big dance.

From an administration aspect, the rest of the WAC schools will chug on. But from a fans aspect I think losing NMSU will matter. I know the Big West was less fun when UNLV left. I think the other WCC school's fans would hate to lose Gonzaga. I think fans get amped up playing against a basketball nemesis. At the mid-major level, NMSU has been a tough mountain to climb.

Could all be true and makes sense. But you are speaking for 12 other fanbases.

You can’t be the best unless you beat the best. That’s NMSU at this point.