“We know we are playing a good team and know it will be a challenge,” USU head coach Ryan Odom said. “... Our guys are certainly excited to play.”

The third-seeded Aggies spent the past three days working on themselves and refreshing a bit on both the 11th-seeded Cowboys and sixth-seeded Lobos, not knowing who they would face. USU only played New Mexico once this season, facing the Lobos in Logan on Feb. 1.

“Our guys have had a good week of practice and are certainly excited to play,” Odom said. “... We have sprinkled in things from both teams, but more than anything we work on ourselves. You work on situations. You need to be ready to execute on a neutral floor. We’ve been working on our shooting, we’ve been working on our offense, working on defense, while keeping it as short as we can.”

New Mexico beat Wyoming Wednesday night, 87-76. The Lobos trailed at halftime, 38-35, but built a double-digit lead midway through the second half and maintained it to the end, getting some help when Cowboy Hunter Maldonado fouled out with 36 points.

Jaelen House led New Mexico with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jamal Mashburn Jr. netted 22 points, while Morris Udeze had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

“We need to get some rest and get ready for Utah State,” Lobo head coach Rick Pitino said. “... Utah State is really good. They have guys that have been there a long time. They share the basketball. I have a lot of respect for them. We need to put together our best game plan.”

The Aggies begin the MW tournament as the hottest team in the league, having won five straight. Carrying that momentum into Thursday night will obviously be important.

“They (Lobos) come in having won a game, so they are coming in off a high because they just won a game,” Odom said. “We haven’t played yet, so that part is different for us. The key for us is settling into the game, getting ready for it and doing our best.”

USU is also experienced with five seniors and two juniors among the top seven players. Odom will be counting on that to boost his team.

“Teams can get hot that haven’t been hot in these tournaments,” Odom said. “It’s just a matter of us settling into the game and playing.”

In the only meeting with New Mexico during the regular season, USU won easily in Logan, 84-73. The Aggies led by 19 points at halftime and as many as 20 in the second half.

“I feel like as a team we got off to a slow start and had some turnovers,” Lobo forward Udeze said Wednesday. “We are going to play hard from the start. We are going to come out and play really hard.”

The Lobos have three players averaging double figures in scoring in Mashburn (19.5), House (16.8) and Udeze (16.4). Udeze leads the MW in rebounding with 9.2 an outing, while House dishes out 4.7 assists a game.

“House and Mashburn are the best guards in our league,” Odom said. “... Udeze is a match-up problem and (Josiah) Allick really plays a primary role in rebounding and defending. They have many others. They have an excellent team.”

Down the stretch USU has gotten much better on the defensive end, while maintaining its offensive prowess.

“We certainly have improved,” Odom said of the defense. “Defensive rebounding, if we do that well, we have a good chance to win. When we guard the 3-point line and inside, hold those percentages down, we do pretty well.”

USU is one of 15 teams in the nation with five players averaging double figures in scoring in Steven Ashworth (16.3), Taylor Funk (13.2), Dan Akin (12.1), Max Shulga (12.1) and Sean Bairstow (10.5). Akin leads the team in rebounding at 6.8 per game, while Ashworth is tops in assists at 4.7.

“I’m just really proud of all of our guys,” Odom said. “... Our guys are smart enough to know it’s a team game. You don’t get it done without your teammates.”

USU is fourth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.401) and effective field goal percentage (.571). The Aggies rank in the top 50 nationally in assists per game (16.94, 10th), field goal percentage (.486, 16th), 3-pointers made per game (9.55, 17th), free throw percentage (.770, 20th), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.41, 26th), points per game (79.06, 28th), scoring margin (+9.06, 34th), bench points per game (24.81, 41st) and defensive rebounds per game (26.74, 42nd).

Ashworth is sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.450), 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.04), 12th in 3-pointers made per game (3.23) and 13th in free throw percentage (.889). Ashworth is the only player in the nation at the Division I level to rank in the top 20 in each of those categories.

The Aggies have been without starting point guard Rylan Jones for 15 straight games after he left the game at Boise State on Jan. 7, due to an injury. Jones also missed three games earlier in the season because of an injury. Despite appearing in less than half of the games this season, Jones is still third on the team in assists per game (3.3) and fifth in total assists (43). He has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.69 and leads USU in charges drawn (14).

The Aggies are staying away from the casinos this year in Las Vegas. They are staying at a hotel without those distractions.

“We certainly want them to have fun when they are together,” Odom said. “They certainly have had a good time since they have been here and some of their family is here. We can focus on our work and some free time.”