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GAME NOTES: After taking a break from their Western Athletic Conference schedule a few nights ago, the Idaho Vandals are ready to get back to business as they host the New Mexico State Aggies at the Cowan Spectrum in Moscow.

After stunning Nevada last weekend, snapping the Wolf Pack's 16-game win streak with a 72-68 triumph in Reno, the Vandals turned their attention to Seattle University on Tuesday night and just barely slipped by with a 70-69 victory at home. The win was the fourth in the last six outings for Idaho, a team that is now two games over .500 on the campaign (13-11).

As for the Aggies, they logged their third straight win and the ninth in the last 11 outings last Saturday with an 83-72 decision over Louisiana Tech. The win also moved NMSU to 6-2 in conference play, which is good enough for second place in the standings behind only Nevada, which is a near-perfect 8-1 heading into play tonight.

The Aggies have won five in a row over Idaho, including the first meeting of this season last month in Las Cruces by a score of 80-68. With the current run of success, NMSU now leads the all-time series, 20-3.

In a game that saw 11 ties and 19 lead changes, the Aggies survived just 15- of-28 shooting at the free-throw line and 2-of-15 beyond the arc against Louisiana Tech at home last weekend. Hamidu Rahman was credited with 20 points, Daniel Mullings and Wendell McKines 15 apiece, the latter also clearing 10 rebounds to come up with yet another double-double on the season and in his career. Tyrone Watson accounted for seven points and handed out seven assists for the hosts as well. McKines has been landing in the headlines for the Aggies quite a bit this season and is now averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to pace the program in both departments. Hernst Laroche (11.9 ppg) is responsible for a team-best 84 assists and 40 steals and his 41.3 percent accuracy behind the three-point line occasionally opens up the middle for the big boys to do the dirty work for NMSU as well.

Perhaps it was merely a hangover from their big win against Nevada, but whatever the reason the Vandals didn't look good at all in the first half against Seattle two nights ago, trailing by as many as 17 points before fighting back for the one-point win. Kyle Barone stepped up with a double- double consisting of 17 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Stephen Madison and Deremy Geiger with 16 points apiece in the close call. Barone, one of four players to have started every game thus far for the Vandals, is second on the team in scoring with 12.5 ppg and is tops in rebounding with eight per game, great numbers for sure but he could be focusing a bit more at the free-throw line where he has made more trips than anyone else but has made just 63.6 percent of his attempts. Geiger (13.0 ppg) and Madison (12.2 ppg) are also key figures on offense for the group as they close in on 70.0 ppg.

Idaho is a talented team for sure, but the squad caught lightning in a bottle against Nevada and then nearly let it all out against Seattle. A quick turnaround after such a tight game two nights ago will work against the Vandals.