Chad Toppert knows all too well.
"It's completely different playing the Aggies in Las Cruces than playing the Aggies in The Pit," he said.
Case in point: The last time UNM won down south was in 2004, when the Lobos coasted to a 84-66 victory. Since then, the Lobos are 0-3 in Las Cruces, including last year's 71-62 loss.
The Lobos will try to sweep the Rio Grande Rivalry series Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Las Cruces.
NMSU is 6-0 at the Pan American Center this year; everywhere else in America, the Aggies 0-6.
UNM is 6-1 at home, but in road games, the Lobos are just 1-2.
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The Aggies have won by an average margin of 21.5 points in Las Cruces, but on the road have lost by an average of 11.7 points, including a 76-62 loss in The Pit last Tuesday.
While the Lobos have had time to concentrate on unwrapping Christmas gifts, the Aggies had just enough time manhandle Loyola Marymount. NMSU tamed the Lions 104-62.
Jahmar Young and Jonathan Gibson combined for 50 points in that game - a game-high 30 coming from Young.
"Young and Gibson are talented," Lobo head coach Steve Alford said.
Young and Gibson were a combined 15-of-21 from the field, 11 of the 15 field goals came from beyond the arc.
"We know those two are going to get (their) points," Alford said.
In their six wins at home, the Aggies are averaging a notch under 90 points per contest at 87.3 points per game. In its three road games, UNM is averaging just 70 points, while NMSU is holding opponents to 66.2 points in the confines of Cruces.
But in a rivalry game, stats mean about as much as New Year's resolutions.
About the only thing the Lobos know is that they'll need to control the glass. In their last meeting, the Lobos outrebounded the Aggies 41-25.
Alford said his biggest concern is coming back strong from the holiday layoff.
"You come back from Christmas break, where you've laid around eating mom's cooking - that's a trap game," he said.
But having had a week to prepare for the same team makes things more cut-and-dried.
"Playing the same opponent has helped because we've been able to concentrate on our stuff," Alford said. "There's not a lot of new preparation."
UNM has played well in the month of December. The Lobos have won five of their last six games and will look to extend that to six out of seven heading into conference play against UNLV on Jan. 3.
The one blemish on the Lobos' record in the month of December comes against Texas Tech, where UNM struggled, losing 86-78 to the Red Raiders in Lubbock.
"We didn't play well there at all," Alford said. "I don't know what the reason was, but that's been only our really bad 40 minutes in the month of December."
And the Lobos will look to keep it that way.
"Every game we play (against NMSU), it's a war," said Roman Martinez, who had 15 points and nine rebounds against the Aggies in The Pit on Dec. 23.
The Lobos won the battle in Albuquerque, but if UNM is to sweep the season series for the first time since '04, it'll need to win the war down in Las Cruces.
Entering Tuesday, the Lobos and Aggies will meet for the 202nd time, something Alford revels in.
"Nonconference rivalries - I don't know of too many rivalries that have had 200-plus games. I love it," Alford said. "I've been a part of rivalries before where it's just one game.... It's great for the fans; it's great for the team to be able to play home and home."
