Not as far as their record, at least.

The Lobos will play at Arizona State today in a scrimmage, but no score or statistics are allowed to be kept by NCAA rule. The teams played in such a scrimmage last year in Albuquerque.

But don't start thinking the scrimmage won't produce any results.

"We're not staying the night but we're using it as a road trip," says third-year coach Steve Alford. "We wear the same travel sweats, we go through (airport) security, we fly somewhere. It gives us a chance to get out.

"I'm anxious to see how they respond to doing all that, and to playing someone in their own building. These are a lot of things we have to teach, and we're doing that. Last year's team, they knew what to wear, how to conduct themselves in an airport setting and things like that. All that's new, and we take all that very seriously."

No fans or media are allowed to attend the scrimmage, and the teams can't discuss details of the afternoon. The NCAA is trying to prevent schools from turning it into an extra game on the schedule.

Teams are allowed to play two exhibitions, two scrimmages or one of each. The Lobos are doing the latter, having beaten Division II New Mexico Highlands 98-68 in an exhibition game on Tuesday night in the Pit.

BACK-UP BATTLE: Junior Dairese Gary is solidly locked into the Lobos' starting point guard spot, but both sophomore Nate Garth and freshman Jamal Fenton are battling for minutes as the No. 2 man.

The 6-2 Garth averaged nearly 18 minutes a game last season and had the second-most assists on the team with 3.1 a game. But the 5-9 Fenton has been extremely impressive in preseason practice and will be tough to keep off the floor.

"Both of them are quick, both of them do a lot of good things with the basketball," Alford said. "They're both good penetrators. For young players, they're both good decision makers. Both are pretty good defenders, Jamal picks up a little farther out on the floor than Nate, but Nate's got a year experience under his belt. Both are pretty similar shooting the ball.

"It's funny, it goes from one day to the next (that one plays better), but both are doing a pretty good job. It's a battle right now."

TY ONE OFF: Ty Abbott, a junior guard on the Sun Devils, originally signed an official letter of intent to play for the Lobos. UNM released Abbott from his commitment after Ritchie McKay was fired as Lobo coach in the spring of 2007.

Abbott, however, isn't scheduled to face his ex-almost teammates. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this fall and is expected to be out for another week or two.

DEVILS: ASU returns three starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team: guards Abbott, Derek Glasser and Rihards Kuksiks. But ASU needs to replace leading scorer James Harden and big man Jeff Pendergraph, who were both selected in June's NBA Draft.