UCI paired against New Mexico State

The UC Irvine men’s basketball team will visit former Big West

Conference rival New Mexico State as part of Bracket Buster Saturday,

Feb. 21, it was announced Monday.

The event features 46 mid-major schools from 11 conferences.

Before the season, it might have been viewed as a chance for the

Anteaters, coming off three straight 20-win seasons and two NIT

appearances in the last three years, to impress the NCAA tournament

selection committee. Now, however, it pits a pair of teams currently

with .500 records, both fighting to stay in the top half of their

respective conference standings. Tipoff is set for 2:05 p.m.

New Mexico State (9-9, 3-4 in the Sun Belt Conference, where it is

tied for fourth in the Western Division), competed in the Big West

from 1983-2000. The Aggies are coached by 72-year-old Lou Henson, who

had 762 career wins in 41 seasons, 16 in Las Cruces, through Monday.

The Aggies have won 26 of 33 previous meetings with UCI, all

conference games. The Aggies’ last meeting with UCI was a 70-51

victory in the quarterfinals of the 2000 Big West tournament.

UCI (9-9, 4-5 in conference), is tied for fourth in the Big West

with Long Beach State, after three straight conference losses, all on

the road.

The Anteaters, the lone Big West representative in the Bracket

Buster event, will have five games to try to build some momentum

heading into Las Cruces, where they are 2-13 against the Aggies.

UCI, led by 7-foot senior Adam Parada, who averages a team-high

13.1 points and 7.4 rebounds, plays host to the University of the

Pacific, Thursday at 7:05 p.m., and Cal State Northridge, Saturday at

7:35 p.m.

The Aggies and Anteaters share only one common opponent this

season.

New Mexico State lost at Utah State, 73-57, Dec. 30, while the

‘Eaters fell, 57-48, in Logan Thursday.

New Mexico State is 6-3 at the Pan American Center this season,

while the Anteaters are 1-6 in games played on their opponent’s floor

this season.

New Mexico State is led by senior forward James Moore, who

averages 15.1 points and 6.6 boards.

-- Barry Faulkner