What to watch during New Mexico State's two-game WAC road trip

LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State broke through over the weekend with its first victories in Western Athletic Conference play.

After an 0-9 start to conference play, the Aggies beat Stephen F. Austin and Seattle over the weekend at the Pan American Center to improve to 9-14 overall on the season.

The Aggies travel to 6-4 Grand Canyon (Wednesday, 7 p.m.) and 5-6 California Baptist (Saturday, 8 p.m.) this weekend looking for their first road victory in WAC play.

Here are three storylines for the Aggies as they hit the road this weekend:

Aggies need road wins to climb up standings

While the Aggies were able to get in the win column in the WAC standings, they are 0-5 in conference road games and are still in last place and currently out of the WAC Tournament.

"We don't have a road win in conference play so we have to have a different, dominant type of mindset going to a hostile environment, a rival game," Aggies head coach Greg Heiar said. "We have to get our first road win so this is a huge week for us."

Texas Arlington, Utah Tech and Texas Rio Grande Valley also picked up wins over the weekend to remain one game ahead of the Aggies at 3-8 in WAC play.

"We are still focusing on ourselves, but I definitely saw the teams we are chasing won a game and I would be lying to say i didn't see it," Heiar said. "We just have to keep taking it one day at a time, coming to work every day and having a positive attitude and work hard to keep getting better."

The Aggies beat Grand Canyon three times last season and NM State is 18-5 against Grand Canyon and 5-4 in Phoenix, where home games are an event but Heiar will also have over 30 friends and family in the stands.

"It's a unique environment and it's what you want all college basketball environments to be like," Heiar said. "My family has a retirmenet home there. The energy, passion and enthusiasm from their fans is incredible, but it's also like going home for me too.

"We have plyers who have played in those environments. We have (LSU transfer) Xavier Pinson who played in the SEC . ... (Kansas State, Missouri transfer) Quaye Gordon is the same thing. ... We have have some guys who have been part of it and I feel our guys will embrace the energy of the arena."

Grand Canyon is 15-8 overall this season after beating Stephen F. Austin 86-83 at home on Saturday.

"They can really score the ball, they are big and physical inside and they have some guys who can really shoot the ball," Heiar said. "They are a very good offensive team so we are going to have be locked in on the defensive end of the court and on the glass and defend without fouling."

The Aggies travel to Cal Baptist after losing 70-61 at home to the Lancers on January 7.

"It's going to be really important to get off to a good start because obviously the better start they get off to, the louder their crowd is going to be," Heiar said.

Xavier Pinson chooses to come off bench after recent play

Pinson has had perhaps his best two games as an Aggie the past two games coming off the bench.

Heiar said he left the decision up to Pinson entering the Stephen F. Austin game as a senior leader and the Aggies guard has responded.

"It says a lot about the young man that he is willing to do that, but he knows at the 17-minute mark to go to the table," Heiar said. "It allows him to see the game, to see his matchup and he doesn't get a cheap early foul either that can limit his aggressiveness. When he's not in foul trouble, he is dangerous out there, constantly attacking the paint and he's more handsy defensively.

"I told him that is the best Xavier Pinson I have seen."

Pinson provided a spark in both games over the weekend, but helped the Aggies erase an early 9-0 deficit against Seattle with three made 3-pointers in the first half and key assists and made free throws as the Aggies closed the game out.

"Me and coach talked about it and he told me you are the senior, you make the decision and we both agreed on if it's not broke, don't fix it so as long as we are winning, I will be coming off the bench," Pinson said. "I'm not going to lie, I kind of like it better. ... I get to see where the game is going and see where I can help things and affect the game in different ways."

James Beck, Doctor Bradley emerging as role players

Heiar may have found his glue players in forward James Beck and wing Doctor Bradley.

"I'm excited for both young men," Heiar said. "They both waited their turn. Every single day, they come to the facility and they work."

Doctor Bradley has made nine starts throughout the season, but Heiar has started the athletic 6-8 sophomore transfer from Salt Lake Community College for the past three games and Bradley has taken full advantage stuffing the stat sheet and doing things that don't show up on the stat sheet, as well.

Bradley was 10 for 12 from the field over the weekend with double figure scoring nights against both SFA and Seattle.

"He (Bradley) has been infectious with our team since he's been in the starting lineup," Heiar said. "I don't have to run anything for him. You see a little bit more from him every game, but he has really brought a positive energy to our team and a big reason our defense has some bite to it now is because of Doc Bradley."

Beck has started the past four games for the Aggies. He made a key play at the rim to fend off SFA and scored a season high 12 points, all in the first half, to help the Aggies pull away from Seattle.

"He's now starting to make aggressive post moves and feel comfortable with his jump shot," Heiar said. "He makes them in practice and he's starting to make them in the games."

Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: What to watch during New Mexico State's two-game WAC road trip