The New Mexico State volleyball team walked into the Coors Events Center on Wednesday looking around each corner and curtain.

The Aggies were searching for their locker room. They were searching for the playing floor. The arena and the maze of rooms in its bowels were completely foreign to the team.

Meanwhile, the Colorado volleyball team was relaxing in its locker room. The Buffs were easily moving throughout the arena. They were thoroughly enjoying the comforts of their home.

They're planning on doing the same thing tonight when they begin the NCAA Tournament at the Coors Events Center at 7 o'clock. It will be the first time since Dec. 7, 1997, that Colorado has played an NCAA Tournament match in Boulder, where the Buffs have always enjoyed the comforts of home in the tourney. CU is unbeaten in those matches and wants to keep it that way when they play the No. 19 Aggies tonight.

"I think it's going to be good to sleep in our own bed and keep the same routine. There's nothing that's going to be different about it," CU sophomore outside hitter Mal-

lori Gibson said. "We'll have the home crowd here, and we've had a good home crowd all year, so hopefully we'll take advantage of it."

Colorado is 5-0 in home NCAA Tournament matches. Those wins were in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997. The Buffs won two home matches in 1997. In each of those years CU finished no worse than third in the conference and it won the Big Eight in 1993. This season Colorado tied for fourth in the conference.

This season's Buffs are 16-11 and may not appear as strong as the past teams who won NCAA Tournament matches in Boulder. They aren't ranked, but they did beat Nebraska, the No. 1 team in the country, this season and have confidence in their chances after practice this week.

"It was good. They seemed excited and practiced really well (Tuesday) and practiced really well for most of (Wednesday)," coach Pi'i Aiu said. "They are excited about playing at home and they're confident."

Beating the Aggies won't be easy. They play in the WAC but are 33-3, with two of those losses coming to No. 12 Hawaii. But they also beat Hawaii and are in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years. They are looking for their first tournament win.

Four NMSU players were first-team All-WAC — middle Alice Borden, setter Jackie Choi, outside hitter Kim Oguh and middle Amber Simpson. Borden went to Grandview High in Aurora, and Choi has stood out in the few days Colorado has been able to scout.

"We know they are a good, physical team," said CU setter Ashley Nu'u, CU's lone first-team All-Big 12 selection. "We're expecting them to be just like any other team in the Big 12."

Defending national champion Washington will play Colorado State at 5 p.m. in the first game of the night. The Huskies and Aggies were able to travel to Boulder through the snow and practiced at their scheduled times. The Rams stayed in Fort Collins to practice. They have played in Boulder before and now Washington and NMSU have experienced what the arena is like.

Colorado is hoping they didn't get too comfortable.

"It's a huge advantage," Nu'u said about playing at home. "We have a good record at home this season and our crowd should be a huge advantage."