Utah Valley at New Mexico State
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, 7:00 p.m. MT
Pan American Center  |  Las Cruces, N.M.

Television: American Sports Network - KMYU/Altitude Sports (Dave Barnett/Joe Cravens)
Radio/Live Audio: ESPN 960 AM / WolverineGreen.com (Jim McCulloch/James Warnick)
Live Video: American Sports Network (americansportsnet.com)

Live Video  |  Live Audio  |  Live Stats

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OREM, Utah—The Utah Valley University men's basketball team continues WAC road play as the Wolverines travel to play New Mexico State Saturday night at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (MT). The game will be nationally telecast on the American Sports Network.
 
New Mexico State (11-10, 3-1) plays its second contest of a three-game home stand on Saturday night against Utah Valley. The Aggies sit atop the early WAC standings with a 3-1 mark. The team holds WAC wins over Missouri-Kansas City, Bakersfield and Grand Canyon. The Aggies are impressive on their home floor having recorded a 46-4 record at the Pan American Center in the team's last 50 contests. NM State has won 23 straight WAC at the Pan American Center.
 
Senior Tshilidzi Nephawe is now back with the team after missing 12 straight games due to a foot injury. He returned against Bakersfield on Jan. 15.  WAC Player of the Year Daniel Mullings is also back in the lineup after missing 12 games due to a broken finger. Mullings, a senior guard, returned for the first time against Grand Canyon on Thursday night, scoring 17 points with five assists. Senior forward Remi Barry and Mullings lead the team in scoring as each are averaging 13.8 points a contest.
 
The Aggies won their second back-to-back WAC Tournament championship in 2013 and 2014. NMSU also won the tournament in 2001 and 2002. Last year's WAC Tournament title was NM State's fourth championship in five years.
 
"The Aggies are a strong, athletic and tall team," said Utah Valley head coach Dick Hunsaker. "They are quick on the inside and they are skilled on the perimeter. Veterans (Tshilidzi) Nephawe and WAC Player of the Year (Daniel) Mullings are now back at full strength. We will have to work on slowing down their transition and offensive rebound game."
 
Saturday night's meeting between Utah Valley and New Mexico State will mark just the third time the two schools have met on the hardwood. The two teams split a pair of WAC games last year with each team winning on its home floor. New Mexico State defeated Utah Valley 72-49 in Las Cruces while the Wolverines downed NM State 66-61 in overtime at the UCCU Center in Orem last season.
 
Utah Valley enters Saturday night's game with a 7-10 overall record. The team owns a 2-1 WAC record with wins over Seattle U and Texas-Pan American. The Wolverines are 3-7 on the road this season.
 
The Wolverines most recently defeated Texas-Pan American 72-54 on the road Thursday night. Donte Williams led the Wolverines with a career-high 23 points. Zach Nelson added 20 points and eight rebounds in the victory. Williams scored his career high on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, including a perfect 4-for-4 mark from three-point range. He also knocked down 5-of-6 free throws and tallied four rebounds, one assist and a block.

Through 17 games this season, senior forward Mitch Bruneel leads the Wolverines in scoring at 13.0 points per contest and rebounding at 6.4 boards a game. Williams is nearly averaging double figures at 9.7 points a contest. Marcel Davis fronts the team in assists at 3.6 per game.
 
Saturday's game will tip off at 7 p.m. (MT) and will be broadcast live on the American Sports Network. A radio broadcast will also be available on ESPN 960 AM. The American Sports Network can be found locally on the channels of KMYU and Altitude Sports.