KU guard Danielle McCray lets out a roar at midcourt during the second half of the game against Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at Allen Fieldhouse.

Las Cruces, N.M. ? Danielle McCray vows she won’t be looking past New Mexico State today despite a bitter lingering memory.

McCray and her Kansas University basketball teammates will finish the nonconference portion of their schedule today against the Aggies.

Tipoff will be at 3 p.m. in the Pan American Center. The game won’t be televised, but will be on the Jayhawk Radio Network.

After today, the Jayhawks will be idle until they open Big 12 Conference play Saturday at Kansas State, the same place they began league competition last year … with a thud.

KU went to Manhattan with an 11-2 record in 2009 and suffered a disappointing 72-39 thumping.

“It will be a challenge,” McCray said, “to make up for our horrible game over there last year.”

First things first, though. The New Mexico State team Kansas crushed, 91-49, almost exactly a year ago in Allen Fieldhouse is having a bit of a renaissance this winter.

“They’re beating some teams,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said, “that handed them some bad losses last year. They’re much different than they were.”

The Aggies left Lawrence with a 4-9 record early last January, but they’ve flip-flopped those numbers. They’re 9-4 now and have won three in a row.

One reason for the NMSU turnaround is Crystal Boyd, a 5-foot-11 senior who sat out last season under NCAA transfer rules after spending her first three years at Texas.

“Boyd has really been a difference-maker for them,” Henrickson said. “She’s a great one-on-one player.”

Meanwhile, Kansas (10-2) has compiled virtually the same record as last year at this time and still must prove it can compete against conference teams.

Last year, after winning 11 of their first 13, the Jayhawks dropped nine of their first 11 conference games before rallying late, earning a berth in the WNIT, then advancing to the championship game.

Kansas’ lone losses to date are neutral-court defeats in the Bahamas. The Jayhawks have yet to lose in an unfriendly arena, with victories coming at Iowa and Houston.

“New Mexico State is going to be another test,” McCray said, “just like all road games.”

Kansas’ next home game will be Jan. 12 against Oklahoma State. Tipoff for that Tuesday contest will be at an unusual time. ESPNU will televise and dictated an 11 a.m. start.