In some ways, the important ways, New Mexico State's 72-69 victory against UTEP Friday night felt like the March game it will be in two seasons.
Presumably both teams will be more consistent on offense in three months, but the intensity, the grit, the determined defending and the passion was a befitting battle for two schools 40 miles apart who soon enough will be fighting for spots in the Conference USA standings.
That gives UTEP time to close the gap between Joe Golding's first-year program and Chris Jans' fifth-year program and they need to put it to good use.