Category: New Mexico

Basketball Preseason Series: Best Passers

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at …

 

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Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at specific skills than it is being the best at a certain position.

For previous articles, look here:

Best Scorers

Best Rebounders

One of the best attributes any player can have is to make their teammates better. Usually that is accomplished through passing the ball. Getting a teammate the ball in the right spot, at the right time, helps the teammate be more efficient. It’s easier to hit a three point shot off the catch than it is to hit one off the dribble. It’s easier for a big man to score when rolling to the basket and receiving a pocket pass than it is for a big man to score when posting up. Great passers also have cumulative teamwide effects of helping all players feel involved in the offense, making them try harder both offensively as well as defensively. Big men are more likely to run to rim run in transition if they believe they’ll get rewarded for their efforts by getting the ball. Cutters are more likely to cut hard off the ball if they believe that there’s a chance they’ll get the ball for an easy layup or open jump shot. And when players are engaged offensively, it often results in better defensive engagement as well. So a great passer can really elevate the ceiling of a team to be higher than the sum of its parts. 

One lesser known metric that will be used to evaluate the players is called Box Creation. It takes box score stats and estimates the number of shots a player creates for their teammates on a per 100 possession basis. So a score of seven means that for every 100 possessions a player played, they created seven shots for their teammates. It is similar to potential assists, although it includes more factors, such as the gravity a player generates to help them create for others.

With the importance of good passers established, here are the best passers in the Mountain West this season.

Jordan Nesbitt, Wyoming – Jordan Nesbitt is a type of player that is becoming more rare in basketball. Nesbitt is a great passer despite his relative inability to score efficiently. Most players have a certain bar of scoring that they can use to help draw defensive attention and open up passing lanes. Nesbitt doesn’t have that. Given the lack of scoring acumen, Nesbitt’s passing becomes more impressive, and slightly nudges him ahead of a few other candidates for this list. It helps that he is 6’6” tall and can see over most defenders placed in front of him. His assist rate of 28.7 finished in the top-100 against D1 competition. He averaged 4.3 assists per game on an assist to turnover ratio of 1.7:1. How new coach Sundance Wicks deploys Nesbitt will be a storyline early on for Wyoming fans.

Alvaro Cardenas, Boise State – Cardenas 5.5 assists per game was the 4th best mark in the conference last season. His 2.7:1 assist to turnover ratio made it even better. His Box Creation score of 7.72 was the fifth best in the conference last season, and three of the four players above him have left the conference. Playing for Boise State may result in his counting stats going down as he won’t be necessary for him to generate as much offense, but his passing efficiency should go up as he plays with higher level teammates. 

Donovan Dent, New Mexico – Donovan Dent is probably the best point guard in the conference. His combination of skills make him an elite player, but his passing is next level. Dent averaged 5.4 assists per game last season, and had a season high of 14 assists against Utah State. Add to that a 2.4:1 assist to turnover ratio, and an assist rate that ranked 51st nationally, and it’s hard to argue that Dent isn’t an elite passer. Dent also finished second in the conference in Box Creation with a score of 8.75. Given the potential increase in shooting threats on the Lobos roster, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Dent to average 6+ assists per game next season. 

Dedan Thomas, UNLV – As far as raising the level of his teammates, Thomas may be the best of the bunch. He is arguably the best tough shot maker in the conference. In the true fashion of a modern day point guard, he uses that scoring ability to accentuate his passing. He’s so good with it that coach Kruger is building the entire UNLV offense around Thomas’ skill set. As a freshman Thomas averaged over 5 assists per game, and had an assist to turnover ratio of 2.3:1. His Box Creation score of 7.58 wasn’t as elite as players like Isaiah Stevens or Donovan Dent last season, but it was still 6th best in the conference as a freshman. His ability should inly improve as his game continues to develop.

Drake Allen, Utah State – Drake Allen has impressive passing numbers. He averaged 4.3 assists per game, his assist rate was the 40th best assist rate in the nation, and he had a better than 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. What is even more impressive is that he accomplished those feats playing for a Utah Valley team that runs a terrible offensive system. He got no help from the system, and little help from his teammates. The team had no shooters, and few threats around the rim. Posting those numbers, given the situation he was in, takes a borderline herculean effort. This season Allen should be even better having players like Ian Martinez and Aubin Gateretse around.

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Basketball Preseason Series: Best Rebounders

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at …

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown

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Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at specific skills than it is being the best at a certain position.

For previous articles, look here:

Best Scorers

A great former Mountain West basketball player once exclaimed that “The board man gets paid.” For what it’s worth, that player will be earning over 49 million dollars in the NBA this season, so he may have had a point. Scoring gets all the highlights, but elite players and coaches constantly talk about how defense and rebounding are key to winning championships. Every fan knows a game that their team would’ve won if they had simply grabbed a rebound at a key moment. The players listed below understand how important rebounding is to winning games.

5. Jared Coleman Jones, San Diego State –

Last year’s Aztecs team had the worst defensive rebounding rate of any Aztecs team since 2019. The Aztecs lost a couple games due to being unable to end a good defensive possession with a rebound. Jared Coleman Jones should help correct that weakness this season. His defensive rebounding rate of 24% ranked 70th nationally. He really knows how to get after the ball. He didn’t do much offensive rebounding at Middle Tennessee, and he may not be asked to at San Diego State, although it’s not out of the question and there’s reason to believe he could be better on that end if he wanted to. 

4. O’Mar Stanley, Boise State –

O’Mar Stanley is better overall, but is also somewhat the opposite of Jared Coleman Jones. Defensively, Stanley’s rate of 17.5% is really good, but the offensive end is where he truly impacts games. His offensive rate of 12.3% ranked 76th nationally last season. Almost 18% of Stanley’s total points came off of putbacks. His aggression on the offensive end will continue to lead to easy points for the Broncos. 

3. Aubin Gateretse, Utah State –

Gateretse has shown to be an elite rebounder on both ends of the floor. His offensive rebounding is a central part of his offense, which bodes well because his offensive rebounding rate ranked 40th nationally last season. His defensive rebounding rate ranked 219th nationally. There is no question he knows how to get after it on the glass. His numbers may take a dip this season though. Partly because he will spend a lot of time playing next to a true 7-footer in Isaac Johnson, who is a great rebounder himself. Secondly, the Atlantic Sun conference doesn’t have the same level of competition as the Mountain West. His numbers last season took hits against top-100 teams, so it is not out of the question that he may not be quite as elite.

2. Nelly Junior Joseph, New Mexico –

NJJ had great rebounding numbers his first year at New Mexico. He collected 8.2 rebounds per game and had double digits rebound rates on both ends of the floor. Nationally, his offensive rebounding rate of 11.3% ranked 128th, and defensively his rebounding rate of 21.2% ranked 154th. What is even more impressive is he could’ve gotten more rebounds if he didn’t have J.T. Toppin playing next to him. This season he will be asked to get even more rebounds, and he should be able to do it. No one should be surprised if Nelly Junior Joseph averages a double-double this season.

1. Robert Vaihola, San Jose State – 

It is pretty hard to argue that Robert Vaihola isn’t the best rebounder in the conference. The 6’8 Big man plays bigger than his size would suggest and gets after it on the glass. He plays as if rebounding is the most important aspect of playing the game. He sat out last season after having season ending foot surgery, but is expected to be ready to go this season. His defensive rebounding rate of 20.1% is great, but he really excels on the offensive end. In 2023, his last healthy season, he led the conference with an offensive rebounding rate of 17.7%. Nationally he had the 5th best rate. He is elite on that end of the floor, which leads to second chance points for the Spartans. Defensively Vaihola should be able to collect a lot of rebounds after Diongue forces misses at the rim.

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Basketball Preseason Series: Best Scorers

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at …

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown

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Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at specific skills than it is being the best at a certain position.

When it all comes down to it, basketball is about scoring more points than your opponent. Having players that can put the ball through the hoop is key to accomplishing that goal. Doing so in high volume isn’t enough though. If a player scores 20 points a game but takes 30 shots to do so, they aren’t helping the team. Players need to score in volume, and do so efficiently. Players can’t be elite scorers if they only possess one of those two qualities.

Honorable Mention: Keyshawn Williams, Colorado State – Before being injured, Williams was averaging almost 18 points per game, on a solid 56% True Shooting percentage. That was two seasons ago, and took place over 13 games, so there’s no telling if those marks would have held over a full season, or if Williams will return to that level post injury. If he is fully recovered though, he will likely deserve a spot on this list.

Donovan Dent, New Mexico – Dent runs the New Mexico offense, and is the first option for the Lobos. Last season he scored 14 points per game. College basketball is a guards game, and Dent is arguably the best in the conference. His play in transition is elite, leading to easy baskets. What helps Dent be a great scorer is his ability to shoot off the dribble. He ranks in the 78th percentile in jump shots off the dribble. His ability to gain separation and lose his defenders helps him get clean looks and keep his efficiency up. His only down side is that he isn’t great from the free throw line, shooting only 68%. It’s not a terrible mark, but it’s below average for a guard.

Deyton Albury, Utah State – Albury played in transition more than most any player in the country while at Queens University. That will likely continue with the Aggies, as it is a key facet in Albury’s game. In the half court he is less efficient, but not enough to hurt the team or his overall efficiency. He maintained a true shooting percentage of 56%, helped by his ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. He scored 17 points per game last season. That number may go down a bit as he’ll have more offensive talent around him, but the tendency to play in transition should translate.

Ian Martinez, Utah State – Martinez scored 13.3 points per game as a third option behind Great Osobor and Darius Brown. Having two other players draw so much defensive attention allowed Martinez to play extremely efficiently. He had a 62% true shooting percentage, the highest of any player on this list. In overseas play this summer Martinez was the leading scorer on the team, and displayed a versatile scoring skill set. As defenses key in on him his efficiency will likely drop some, but his floor is still higher than most players in the conference. 

Kobe Sanders, Nevada – In the past five years only 3 Mountain West players have scored 20+ points per game (Jaedon LeDee, Bryce Hamilton, Jalen Harris). Sanders scored 19.7 last season in the Big West. The leave of competition is tougher in the Mountain West, but Sanders has shown he can put up points. His combination of size and ball handling ability makes him tough to guard, similar to Kenan Blackshear last season, but Sanders is even taller. Most guards can’t contest a 6’8 shooter.Thanks in part to his size, Sanders scored 1.123 points per possession in isolation last season, ranking in the 91st percentile in that category. He also finished in the 75th percentile in pick and roll scoring per possession. With the departures of Blackshear and Lucas, the Wolfpack will be looking to Sanders to put up points in bunches. 

Tyson Degenhart, Boise State – What makes Degenhart such a good scorer is his versatility. At 6’8, 235 lbs he is big and strong enough to play around the rim, and also skilled enough to play around the perimeter. His outside shot isn’t great, but it’s good enough to keep opponents honest, helping him rack up 1.093 points per possession when spotting up around the outside, good for 82nd percentile nationally. He also scored 1.112 points per possession when posting up last season, which finished 13th in the nation among players with at least 100 post up possessions. For context, all american Jaedon LeDee finished 16th in the same metric, and player of the year Zach Edey finished 27th. Degenhart’s versatility lets him truly attack big players off the dribble, and small players in the post.

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What to expect from the Mountain West and friends?

With a few new friends joining an already-enigmatic bunch, this is gearing up to be a very Mountain West-like season . Seven of the conference’s 12 teams will be showcasing a first-year head coach, one of which is returning to the Mountain West …

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With a few new friends joining an already-enigmatic bunch, this is gearing up to be a very Mountain West-like season. Seven of the conference’s 12 teams will be showcasing a first-year head coach, one of which is returning to the Mountain West coach and two of which still have an interim tag attached. Of those two, one is the youngest coach in the FBS and the other took the job so recently that it was his predecessor at Mountain West Media Days. To add to the strangeness and excitement, the 12-team playoff has arrived, providing a clear and defined path to the College Football Playoff. This has given the Mountain West a real opportunity and the stakes have never been higher. If things fall into place just right, the Mountain West championship could mean a chance to play in the College Football Playoff.  

The Mountain West is a tough league but until proven otherwise, it will appear to be a race to play, or replace, Boise State in the title match. The Broncos will have to ward off some formidable suitors. Fresno State, UNLV, and Wyoming will be gunning for a top spot. At the bottom, a trio of Nevada, New Mexico, and San Jose State will be looking to find their footing with the rest of the pack fitting somewhere in between.

Before we take a look at the conference, let’s take a look at the friends of the Mountain West. This year the Mountain West will have some visitors from the Pac-12. Oregon State and Washington State have both taken a beating on and off the field. Left behind as the only remaining members of their conference the two teams couldn’t even field a schedule. The two teams entered into a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West, so even though they won’t be eligible for the title game, they will be playing a Mountain West schedule. 

Washington State

Jake Dickert’s Washington State didn’t get the kindest draw in the Mountain West slate and doesn’t have the easiest non-conference schedule either. 

The Cougars open with Portland State, Texas Tech, Washington, San Jose State, and Boise State before their first bye. Portland and San Jose State represent winnable games, but the other three will be tough and they could pretty easily be 2-3 to open the season. 

Coming out of the bye they will be met with a tough game against Fresno State, at which point the season could be at a pretty dangerous juncture. After what could easily be a 2-4 start, the Cougars would have to win at least four of their last six games against Hawaii, San Diego State, Utah State, New Mexico, Oregon State, and Wyoming. It’s possible, but the path to six wins is a rocky one for Washington State this year. Wazzu should end up between 3-9 and 8-4. 

Oregon State

Oregon State is in slightly better shape and gets a slightly better draw. Like most of the Mountain West teams, the Beavers will be led by a first-year head coach in Trent Brady, who has been coaching defense within the program in some capacity since 2018. He was previously the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. 

The schedule for the Beavers is broken up into three four-game pods broken up by bye weeks. Their first set includes Idaho State, San Diego State, Oregon, and Purdue. Oregon State should take care of the Mountain West portion of that schedule but will have a harder time against the Big Ten portion. 

After a bye, Oregon State will face Colorado State, Nevada, UNLV, and Cal. The Nevada schools stand out in this section of the schedule. The toughest team in this stretch is UNLV while the Wolf Pack will be in a rebuild. 

The final stretch starts with a game against another rebuilding team in San Jose State. Then the Beavers play at Air Force and host Washington State. Then the Beavers close their season on the road against Boise State. The Broncos won’t go down easy, but if the Beavers can survive against Air Force, the Beavers should best the Cougars, and a winning season should be in play even if they drop their season finale. Oregon State could land anywhere from 3-9 (though that seems like it would be a long shot) and 9-3. A record closer to 7-5 seems more reasonable. 

Air Force Falcons

Air Force is Air Force, and that’s just about all there is to it. Troy Calhoun, the longest-tenured coach in the Mountain West by a large margin, has amassed a record of 130-82. In his 18 years, his Falcons have only missed a bowl game five times. In the 13 bowl games they have gone to, they are 8-5. That’s probably indicative of what’s to come. 

The Falcons have plenty of holes to fill with a slew of departures headlined by quarterback Zac Larrier, but in Colorado Springs, it’s just rinse and repeat. The Falcons are coming off three consecutive bowl games and have won ten, ten, and nine games in the past three seasons. So, even with the substantial losses to the roster, anyone who has been watching Air Force for the past decade knows better than to count them out. 

The Falcons open conference play early and will host San Jose State in week two. Their week three matchup on the road against Baylor should be interesting. After that, they get a bye week and proceed with a pretty standard Air Force schedule with games against the rest of the Mountain West, Navy, and Army. They avoid Boise State, but travel to Laramie and host the Bulldogs. Air Force could go 4-8 on the low end or 9-3 on the high end. 

Boise State Broncos

As much as the other 11 teams — and their fan bases — hate to admit it, Mountain West football runs through Boise. This year looks like it won’t be different.

Much could be said about the dramatics of last season and the unlikely rise of an untested coach in Spencer Danielson, but none of that would discredit what is happening at Boise State. In fact, much could be said of the entire program, but not much discourse is necessary to sum up what the Broncos have. That’s all because of one Ashton Jeanty.

Jeanty is, without question, one of the most impressive ball carriers in the nation. He’s the best running back in the conference and one of the most dangerous offensive players. In a lackluster program, he can single handedly make up for deficiencies around him, be it insufficient help on offense or poor coaching. In a competent program, he can elevate the team from good to great and from great to titanic. The Broncos could have done anything this offseason and it wouldn’t matter one bit. As long as Jeanty is in a Bronco uniform, Boise State will be a contender. Boise State should expect to go between 9-3 and 11-1. 

Colorado State Rams

Colorado State is going into year three of the Jay Norvell experiment and it hasn’t gone as well as the Rams would have hoped when they poached the offensive tactician from Nevada. All the Rams have really managed to do so far is sabotage their conference foe on the way to mediocrity (Nevada has gone 2-20 while Colorado State has gone 8-16 since then). The Rams hope that will change this season. 

The Rams haven’t seen a bowl game since 2017, when they capped off a five-year run of bowl appearances, but got just about as close as possible last year. They got within a game of bowl eligibility last season and came up just short of adding that last win multiple times, including a 43-35 overtime loss at Colorado, a 25-23 loss at UNLV, a 24-15 loss at Wyoming, and a 27-24 loss at Hawaii. 

As is standard with Norvell’s teams, the story here will be the offense. Norvell likes to throw the ball around and he has a team that should be able to pass to his liking. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi showed flashes of being a really high-level quarterback last year and Tory Horton is one of the best wide receivers in the conference. Horton was All-Mountain First team last season and Fowler-Nicolosi earned an honorable mention. Horton was also named to the Preseason All-Conference team this year. 

Overall, the Rams should be able to take a step forward this year. If everything clicks, Norvell, Fowler-Nicolosi, and Horton could create a solid, if not dangerous, offense. The defense, led by linebacker Chase Wilson, should at least be able to keep up. 

An adept defense and a Jay Norvell offense would certainly do the trick in Fort Collins, but only time will tell if the Rams will hit those marks. Colorado State should finish within 4-8 and 8-4. 

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College Football 25: The Mountain West Conference

CFB25: The Mountain West Conference According to EA Sports College Football 25, Nevada and Boise State will play for the Mountain West Conference Championship. Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire Just three empty Saturday’s stand between us and Week …

CFB25: The Mountain West Conference

According to EA Sports College Football 25, Nevada and Boise State will play for the Mountain West Conference Championship. 

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Just three empty Saturday’s stand between us and Week Zero’s slate of games to kick off the NCAA Football season! I know, I know, it’s been a long off-season and we are all yearning for some game action. Well, there is some good news.

Two weeks ago, EA Sports finally released the College Football 25 video game after a decade long absence for their signature franchise series. To say this has been a much-anticipated return would be a colossal understatement. EA Sports sold over 2 million copies of their premium edition, which granted gamers access three days in advance of it’s announced July 19th standard release date.

As a long time enthusiast of this games series, I was one of the 2 million who secured early access. While there is no replacing a Saturday (or the myriad of other days that games are now played on) of Mountain West action, CFB25 provides a nice bridge to the official start of the 2024 season.

Recognizing that not every college football fan has, or will purchase the CFB25 game, we want to share some of the fun with everyone. So here is what we’ve done.

WE’VE SIMULATED THE 2024 SEASON

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Using the Dynasty feature on the CFB25 game, we’ve simulated the entire 2024 football season. In case you’re wondering, Jacksonville State did make the playoff in our simulation as the lone representative from the Group of Five. As if being snubbed from the playoff wasn’t bad enough, the MWC fans aren’t going to be happy to learn that BYU didn’t just make the college football playoff but earned a bye week as well.

So sure, the introduction of the new 12-Team College Football Playoff is exciting, but we’re here for the Mountain West Action! Even though no Mountain West Conference team made the playoff in our simulation, there were plenty of interesting yields from the season.

HOW THE (MOUNTAIN) WEST WAS WON

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Probably not surprising to many, the Boise State Broncos were your Mountain West Conference Champions. Who did they have to defeat to win the championship? Nevada. That’s right, the Nevada Wolf Pack weren’t just Bowl eligible, but were nearly crowned Conference Champs in our simulation.

Joining Boise State and Nevada in Bowl eligibility were Air Force, Fresno State, San Diego State, New Mexico and Hawai’i.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

One of the first things that stood out was the New Mexico Lobos surrendered the fewest points defensively. One of the reasons for the strong defensive showing was their defensive end, Gabriel Lopez who recorded 15.5 sacks on the year. Lopez was third in voting for the Nations Best Defensive End award. It didn’t hurt that Tavian Combs was tied for the Conference lead in interceptions too.

The All-Conference First Team was littered with Broncos, as seven players from Boise State earned spots. Brayden Schager represented Hawai’i well, as he was the recognized as the top quarterback in the Conference. Somewhat shocking, Ashton Jeanty was not the first team running back, nor was Tory Horton an All-Conference nominee at all. However, Jeanty was on the second team, while Horton actually sustained a season ending injury on the simulation. Injury is the only thing that could keep that guy from snagging passes.

It was also interesting to see that three Mountain West quarterbacks threw for 30 or more touchdowns. Malachi Nelson (38), Brayden Schager (32), Devon Dampier (31) and Spencer Petras (30) all cleared 30 tudd’s and 3,000 yards on the year! And not surprising at all, Air Force’s Dylan Carson led the Conference in Rushing yards. Video game or not, get acquainted with that name.

SNUBBED

It was a lot of fun running this simulation and seeing how some of our favorite teams and players fared. But the level of disrespect for the Mountain West was undeniable. No teams in the playoff. Noone ranked in the top 25. And there wasn’t a single player from the Conference recognized as a consensus All-American.

Coaches across the Mountain West may want to print this and hang it up as motivation for the season. Our EA Sports College Football 25 season may have slept on the Mountain West, but we know better. We just can’t wait for the actual season to kick off and do the fact checks!

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New Mexico Basketball: Jamal Mashburn Jr. & Sebastian Forsling Enter Transfer Portal

New Mexico Basketball: Jamal Mashburn Jr. & Sebastian Forsling Enter Transfer Portal Jamal Mashburn Jr. becomes one of the best players in the Portal with his announcement on Monday. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire New Mexico’s offseason …

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New Mexico Basketball: Jamal Mashburn Jr. & Sebastian Forsling Enter Transfer Portal

Jamal Mashburn Jr. becomes one of the best players in the Portal with his announcement on Monday.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico’s offseason kicks off with two announced outbound transfers, Jamal Mashburn Jr. & Sebastian Forsling.

With all but maybe thirty teams still active in postseason play around the country, the offseason & “Portal Season” has officially arrived for around three hundred programs nationally. The New Mexico Lobos had yet to see any outgoing player movement from anyone with eligibility still left to play since the Portal’s official opening on March 13th.

But no team goes unscathed in the transfer portal era, as Lobo fans got their first couple of transfer announcements on Monday afternoon, as if Mondays weren’t tough enough.

Maybe one of the biggest additions to the Portal Monday was Lobo Jamal Mashburn Jr., who after transferring from Minnesota back in 2021 has one year of eligibility to left to play. His contributions to the Lobo program go beyond season or career averages, though those are quite impressive as well.

Averaging 14.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG & 1.5 APG in 28.5 MPG in 28 games (all starts) for New Mexico’s first tournament team in a decade this season. Departing with a 17.3 PPG average in his entire career in Albuquerque and leaving as one of the key players during Pitino’s rebuild of the program, every year, for three seasons.

Mashburn Jr. followed Richard Pitino from Minnesota after his freshman year. He was an immediate impact player in Albuquerque, paired alongside fellow high major transfer & fellow son of an NBA Player Jaelen House in the Lobo backcourt. Aside from having a name familiar to hoops fans everywhere, the 6-2 shooting guard also boasts one of the most silky smooth mid-range jumpers in the entire country.

Also capable of scoring at all three levels, his offensive production, will be missed inside the Pit next season. Even with his production taking a dip this season, he was a part of one of the most dangerous offensive backcourts in the entire country. Not to mention playing with a thumb injury he battled through most of the season, aside from a few weeks taken off in December.

Mashburn Jr. will leave New Mexico as a Top-10 all-time scorer (1,629 points) in program history with All-MWC 3rd team (21-22), 1st team (22-23) & All-MWC Tournament (23-24) team honors during his time in Cherry & Silver. He’s going to instantly be one of the best players available in the Portal & already being mentioned by Kentucky fans, his dad’s alma mater, all throughout the internet.

The Big Swede

Forsling was a seldom used but vital piece of New Mexico’s frontcourt during his time in Albuquerque. Earning the bulk of his minutes during his freshman season, which was also Richard Pitino’s first year at New Mexico. That season he averaged 2.1 PPG, & 2.4 RPG in 14.5 MPG for a rebuilding Lobo program that went 13-19 (5-12, in MWC) & finished 9th in the Mountain West.

With the arrival of transfers Morris Udeze in 22-23 & Nelly Junior Joseph this past season, Forsling embraced a back up role on the bench and made the most of it. His 4.3 MPG in just 22 appearances this season were mainly due to foul trouble amongst his frontcourt teammates or when bigger & stronger opposition forced Pitino’s hand to put in the more imposing Swede.

Colorado State’s David Roddy guards New Mexico’s Sebastian Forsling before an in-bounds pass during a game at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colorado on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. The Rams defeated the Lobos 80-74.

It worked well most of the time, as Forsling levied his size & strength to make sure his defensive assignments never completely took advantage of New Mexico’s starters being on the bench. His blocks, rebounds & the occasional two handed slams always garnered applause & approval inside the Pit. For that, his great attitude & commitment to the program made him a fan favorite in Albuquerque.

Through his time as a key member of the Swedish Youth National Team back home & his size, he shouldn’t have a hard time finding a new landing spot. Hopefully somewhere on the West Coast so Lobo fans & his father can continue to watch him play without adjusting his sleep schedule to drastically.

The Transfer Portal being open for a few weeks scarcely touched the Mountain West. As the Lobos and many other programs were still playing in postseason tournaments. Because of that, there hadn’t been much outbound movement. Though with San Diego State as the lone program in the big dance & UNLV still playing in the NIT, many important dominos are starting to fall.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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2024 NCAA Tournament: No. 11 New Mexico Exits Early, After 77-56 1st Round Loss to No. 6 Clemson

Game Recap: No. 6 Clemson 77, No. 11 New Mexico 56 New Mexico falls to a primed & ready Clemson team in 1st round. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire March Madness ends early for the Lobos as an inopportune cold streak leaves them chasing the …

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 Game Recap: No. 6 Clemson 77, No. 11 New Mexico 56

New Mexico falls to a primed & ready Clemson team in 1st round.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

March Madness ends early for the Lobos as an inopportune cold streak leaves them chasing the Tigers most of the way.

Memphis, TN–The New Mexico men’s basketball program returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade was a highly anticipated moment in Richard Pitino’s tenure. After a memorable run to the Mountain West Tournament Championship.

The Lobos have taken that dream & made it their new reality. As they face off against the Tigers of Clemson, whom many have pegged as the “trendy” upset pick of the 1st round.

Whether or not being trendy will be enough to upset an extremely solid ACC squad with a longtime coach & all-conference caliber players remains to be seen.

Things began close, with a couple of field goals exchanged on each side. A PJ hall three-pointer pushed the No. 6 seeded Tigers ahead 7-4. A pair of Jack Clark free throws extended their lead to 9-4, before a Jaelen House three pointer brought the Lobos to within two (9-7).

As both teams would miss some mid-range jumpers, the ball went inside. With an interior field goal from both Nelly Junior-Joseph & Ian Schieffelin bringing things to 11-9. A 7-0 Clemson run approaching the fifteen minute mark separated the two sides. Putting the Lobos down 18-9, in just a minutes time.

Clemson’s experience was on full display. The Tigers frontcourt was in full offensive swing as well, being responsible for six of their teams first seven field goals. Including 2-2 shooting from deep from their First-Team All-ACC big man PJ Hall.

Early on the Lobos struggled to create offense, with only 1 assist to 2 turnovers compare to the Tigers who boasted 6 assists with no turnovers in the same span.

Right under the ten minute mark, the Lobos found themselves in a place they didn’t want to be. Down nineteen, in the middle of a nearly five minute scoring drought & chasing an extremely hot Tigers squad into half-time.

A Junior-Joseph mid-range jumper ended the 12-0 Clemson run. A series of free throws from Jack Clark & Jaelen House progressed things forward. While another Junior-Joseph turnaround hook shot & offensive tip to Toppin in the ensuing play began to chip away at Clemson’s lead. Now down by just 13 (32-19) approaching the five minute mark in the first half.

Hall would make a beautifully acrobatic layup to make his first offensive impact since the eleventh minute. On the other end Mashburn Jr. & House would miss back-to-back three point shots.

It wasn’t a momentum killer though. As Junior-Joseph made another layup on the next possession, Amzil would take an offensive charge by Hall on the other end to be capped by Dent’s second made field goal of the game.

It was a tough existence for the Lobos who would go through scoring droughts. Find a few offensive opportunities to only have that momentum snuffed out with some sort of monster Tiger slam dunk or just old school ball movement from Clemson that led to good looks.

Clemson used a 12 point first half from PJ Hall & great offensive ball movement to head into half-time up 42-28.The Tigers also shot the ball well from everywhere on the floor, shooting 4-9 (44.4%) from deep, 15-31 (48.4%) & a smooth 8-10 (80%) from the charity stripe.

For the Lobos it was a different half offensively. As New Mexico shot just 12-35 (34.3%) from the floor, a horrid 2-11 (18.2%) & 2-4 on the few free throw attempts they managed during the first half. Nelly Junior-Joseph led the way with 8 points off of 4-5 shooting (80%) to go along with 7 rebounds.

Second Half

The Lobos didn’t find any better luck out of half-time. Missing their first two field goal attempts & a great luck from Donovan Dent down low resulting in a turnover on their next possession.

Clemson would go on a small 5-0 run thanks to a three pointer from Tiger big man Schieffelin to extend their lead to 47-30 in just a few minutes into the second half. He would also clean up a missed Girard III layup on the next possession with a couple of Lobo defenders slightly weighing him down. The Tiger’s effort on the offensive boards just added to the lopsided offensive affair that was this No. 6 vs. No. 11 seed matchup.

Junior-Joseph continued to go to work in the paint, missing his shot but heading to the line to make 1-2 free throws. Both sides would scoreless over the next few minutes before a Tru Washington three pointer ended the drought. House would take the ball nearly coast to coast on the next possession to lay it up for his first basket of the second half.

Even though the deficit still stood well over double digits, the game appeared a little more leveled approaching the ten minute mark. Unfortunately the lid went back on the Lobos’ hoop as Toppin would miss two free throws after some high energy rebounds sent him to the line.

Mashburn Jr. would make up for those misses with two makes at the line soon after, now down 54-40 before a Washington foul led to an official TV timeout.

Clemson found the bottom of the net on the next few possessions, including a three by Chase Hunter to get their bench up & going as well as extend the lead out to twenty at 62-42.

A couple of tough calls on House out of New Mexico’s full court press sent him to the bench. And even with shots continuing to ring out for the Lobos, they didn’t give up. Tru Washington contributed a three point play before a PJ Hall turnaround hook shot extended the lead right back to 19 points (64-45).

Even though the Lobos never appeared to have given up despite their double-digit deficit for 3/4’s of the way. They could never get over their cold shooting night. So the same offensive rhythms described above were set on repeat until the final buzzer. When Clemson used their 77-56 win over the Lobos to advance to their Second Round matchup against No. 3 Baylor on Sunday afternoon.

“Certainly the wrong day to go cold,” Pitino said. “We just couldn’t make a shot. Clemson had a lot to do with that. They’re big, they’re disciplined.”

Three Thoughts:

  • Clemson played a great game & looked primed to give New Mexico a hard time on the boards as well as offensively. Clemson’s sets & pressure caused frantic situations during Lobo possessions & forced a lot of shots from their guards that hardly went in. Even if Pitino’s squad were knocking down shots, the Tigers didn’t make a ton of mistakes for them to take advantage of. All in all, a good game from a good squad.
  • This Lobo squad was very different from those seen in recent years, even dating back to the Noodles era. The downside being the conference as a whole has elevated their play with them. But they still managed to steal a bid in the conference tournament this year, given the Selection Committee was actively trying to leave them out of the at-large conversation. They made Lobo basketball something to believe in again.
  • As it pertains to this individual game, nothing was falling for New Mexico. Looks that should have fallen, others that normally have a 50/50 chance looked more like 5/95. It was a tough outing to say the least. Especially after the tremendous run they had last week with plenty of eyes watching. I mean, March is March and anyone can win at any given time. That’s where we get the moniker March Madness from. Now, the program’s first trip back in a decade can be viewed as an ultimate “I knew this would happen” moment or as a great first step back to national competitiveness.

Player Spotlights:

Clemson F-Ian Schieffelin

Stat line: 16 points & 12 rebounds on 6-10 shooting (60%) from the floor & a whopping 3-4 (75%) from the free throw line in 27 minutes of play

There were plenty of big performances from the Tigers on Friday, but Schieffelin’s dominance in the paint & especially on the boards played a big role in their win.

Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin (4) shoots the ball during the first round game between Clemson University and University of New Mexico in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, March 22, 2024.

Mainly because the Lobos were only scoring in the paint at a certain point & his 8 defensive/4 offensive boards took those opportunities away from them. Not to mention he achieved that double double in just 27 minutes on the floor.

New Mexico F-Nelly Junior Joseph

Stat line: 14 points & 12 rebounds on 5-9 (55.5%) shooting from the floor & 4-7 (57.1%) shooting from the line in 34 minutes of play

Junior Joseph earned this spotlight as one of the few Lobos to have a respectable offensive stat line Friday afternoon. It was tough to see, but Junior Joseph gave it his all & didn’t look deterred by Clemson’s offensive onslaught.

Up Next:

Well, that’s all folks. A season to remember & one for the history books. This team will lose plenty of star power in the offseason, but this season gave Lobo fans something to look forward to. While hopefully creating a foundation for what the Pitino era can bring to Albuquerque.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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NCAA Tournament: No. 11 New Mexico vs. No. 6 Clemson: Keys To A Lobos Win, Live Stream Odds

NCAA Tournament: No. 11 New Mexico vs. No. 6 Clemson: Keys To A Lobos Win, Live Stream Odds Lobos take on the Tigers from the ACC Follow @MWCwire Can New Mexico upset Clemson How to watch: New Mexico (26-9, 10-8 MWC) vs. Clemson ( 21-11, 11-9 ACC) …

NCAA Tournament: No. 11 New Mexico vs. No. 6 Clemson: Keys To A Lobos Win, Live Stream Odds

Lobos take on the Tigers from the ACC

Follow  @MWCwire

Can New Mexico upset Clemson

How to watch:  New Mexico (26-9, 10-8 MWC)  vs. Clemson ( 21-11, 11-9 ACC)

Listen: 77KOB local Albuq. or stream via Westwood One

What: West Region, First Round

Tipoff time: 1:10 MST 3:10 pm ET Friday

TV: truTV  

Stream: MarchMadness App

Location: Memphis

The Mountain West champion New Mexico men’s basketball team will begin play at the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Friday with a first-round matchup against Clemson. 

The 11-seeded Lobos and 6th-seeded Tigers will tip off at 2:10 pm CT (1:10 pm MT) at the FedEx Forum. The game will air on TruTV, Westwood One Radio, and the Lobo Radio Network.

In the 2024 March Madness bracket opening round, two teams with recent NCAA Tournament droughts face off, promising to break their dry spells as they vie for advancement to the second round. 

Clemson and New Mexico square off in an East Region clash, each carrying contrasting tales from their respective conference tournaments.

A matchup might be off if the NCAA Selection Committee seems to have missed the mark, as our model suggests New Mexico outperforms Clemson despite being seeded lower by five spots, with a notable 1.9 points per 100 possessions advantage.

To add to this point Ken Pomeroy’s numbers also lean towards the Lobos being 2 points better team on the court. 

The Lobos have posted a strong 26-9 record this season, securing their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade after a remarkable victory in last week’s Mountain West Tournament held in Las Vegas.

 Notably, UNM achieved a historic feat by becoming the first team in conference history to clinch the title with four consecutive wins in as many days. 

Starting as the 6th seed, they triumphed over Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, and San Diego State within a tight 70-hour window in Las Vegas to clinch their fifth Mountain West Conference Championship. 

Jaelen House named the Mountain West Tournament MVP, showcased stellar performance by tallying an impressive 92 points throughout these four victories, marking the second-highest point total in Mountain West Tournament history.

 Accompanying House, JT Toppin contributed with a pair of double-doubles. At the same time, Jamal Mashburn, Jr. notably scored 21 points in the final against San Diego State, earning spots for both players on the All-Tournament Team.

On the other side, Clemson boasts a 21-11 record this season, finishing sixth in the ACC with an 11-9 standing. 

However, their journey in the ACC Tournament ended on a sour note with a 76-55 defeat to Boston College in the second round held in Washington, D.C. 

The Tigers are led by first-team All-ACC forward PJ Hall, who maintains an impressive average of 18.8 points per game.

This upcoming game marks the first-ever encounter between New Mexico and Clemson. Additionally, it will be the Lobos’ first appearance in Memphis since their defeat to Memphis in the 2001 NIT Quarterfinals.

Having secured their 16th NCAA Tournament appearance, the Lobos are eager to make their mark, aiming for their first tournament win since their victory over Long Beach State in the first round of the 2012 tournament.

The victor of this game will progress to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, facing off against the winner between the No. 3 seed Baylor and No. 14 seed Colgate matchup. 

Many so-called experts are touting New Mexico as a potential Cinderella not because of any flashy underdog traits but because they’re a strong team whose close losses towards the end of the season led to many bracketologists underestimating them.

Interestingly, the selection committee might have inadvertently favored the Lobos by assigning them the 11th seed despite their conference tournament win. 

While the No. 12 seed upsetting the No. 5 seed is commonly seen as the classic upset pick in the NCAA Tournament, statistics reveal that the No. 11 seed has pulled off this feat five times more overall.

This has resulted in 58 upset victories since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. which convincingly defeated No. 6 seed Iowa State by 18 points despite being considered a 5-point underdog.

On the other hand, Clemson fits the bill of a “Generic Giant” – a team that earns high seeds without excelling in rebounding or turnover categories, heavily relying on shooting instead. 

This leaves them susceptible to off-nights and opponents capable of mounting strong runs.

 Delving deeper into the matchup, I see that the statistics don’t bode well for Clemson against teams like New Mexico, which is known for its strong offensive rebounding.

Our historical data from 2007 shows that lower-seeded teams with such strengths have upset “Generic Giants” like Clemson in 52% of matchups. 

Moreover, in 6-11 matchups involving such teams, the higher seed has lost a staggering 73% of the time (16 out of 22 games).

All signs point towards an upset brewing, a sentiment echoed by betting markets already tilting towards the Lobos, much like Slingshot’s prediction.

Under Richard Pitino’s guidance, the Lobos have emerged as an entertaining group, featuring seasoned guard Jaelen House – a seasoned thief on the court with his 4.4% steal rate.

Alongside him is freshman forward JT Toppin, known for his prowess inside the paint. They shouldn’t have had to snatch a bid to secure their spot in the tournament, but now that they’re in, they’re poised for an exciting dance.

After their last game on March 13, Clemson head coach Brad Brownell’s squad returns to Memphis, ready to take on Richard Pitino’s team.

This marks Clemson’s 14th entry into March Madness. While they haven’t reached the Final Four, they boast an Elite Eight appearance in 1980 and have made the Sweet 16 four times in 1980, 1990, 1997, and 2018.

This marks New Mexico’s 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their first since 2014. 

With eight tournament victories to their name, their last win dates back to 2012, when they defeated Long Beach State in the round of 64 before bowing out to Louisville.

Clemson (21-11), finishing with an 11-9 record in the ACC this season, comes into the tournament following a loss to Boston College in the ACC Tournament’s second round.

This matchup will mark the inaugural meeting between the Lobos and Clemson. Despite being considered an upset based on seeding, statistical analysis suggests that New Mexico’s slight favoritism of 1.5 points is justified.

Analyzing the matchup reveals discrepancies in the seeding, indicating that New Mexico is statistically stronger than Clemson despite being ranked lower.

 The Lobos have been identified as a potential Cinderella team due to their overall strength and undervaluation by many bracketologists.

If you have never seen this team this year, they are one of the most electric teams in the country.

 They have three dynamic guards who can flat-out make plays: Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn, and Jaelen House, who set the high tempo of the Lobos. 

 Complemented by JT Toppin and Nelly Jr Joseph, along with the addition of Mustapha Amzil, a transfer from Dayton, off the bench, they possess a well-rounded lineup capable of making a deep tournament run.

The Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, JT Toppin, who has been dominant in the paint, has been named MWC Freshman of the Week over nine times this year. 

 Notably, the selection committee possibly did them a favor by assigning them the 11th seed.

 Clemson presents as a Generic Giant, heavily reliant on shooting and susceptible to off nights, making them vulnerable to teams like New Mexico.

Considering historical data and statistical similarities, the odds favor New Mexico to pull off the upset.

 Led by standout players like Jaelen House and JT Toppin, the Lobos are primed for an exciting tournament run.

The Tigers Numbers: 

  • NET ranking: 35
  • KenPom ranking: 34
  • Quad 1 record: 5-5
  • Quad 2 record: 5-5
  • Quad 3 record: 6-1
  • Quad 4 record: 5-0
  • Offensive efficiency ranking: 27
  • Defensive efficiency ranking: 67

Key players

PJ Hall, C, Sr. (6-10, 238): 18.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg

Joseph Girard III, G, Sr. (6-2, 189): 15.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.8 apg

Chase Hunter, G, Sr. (6-4, 200): 12.3 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.4 rpg

Ian Schieffelin, F, Jr. (6-8, 238): 9.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.3 apg

Jack Clark, F, Sr. (6-10, 207): 4.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.3 apg

The Lobos  Numbers: 

Key players

  • NET ranking: 22
  • KenPom ranking: 23
  • Quad 1 record: 5-6
  • Quad 2 record: 3-1
  • Quad 3 record: 7-1
  • Quad 4 record: 10-1
  • Offensive efficiency ranking: 41
  • Defensive efficiency ranking: 23

Jaelen House, G, Sr. (6-0, 170): 16.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg

Donovan Dent, G, Soph. (6-2, 170): 14.3 ppg, 5.6 apg, 2.5 rpg

Jamal Mashburn Jr., G, Sr. (6-2, 195): 14.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.5 apg

JT Toppin, F, Fr. (6-9, 210): 12.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg

Roger Holien covers NCAA college Basketball & Football as a writer for Mountain West Wire. He has been involved in New Mexico’s sports teams, including football and basketball, for 25 years. He also does play-by-play & color commentary for the NFHS (Proview Networks) covering New Mexico High School Sports. 

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2024 Mountain West Championship: New Mexico Secures First MWC Tournament Title in Over a Decade with 68-61 win over SDSU

Game Recap: No. 6 New Mexico 68, No. 5 San Diego State 61 Jaelen House get’s his moment & secures his first MWC title in his last conference game. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire New Mexico secures first conference tournament title in a …

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 Game Recap: No. 6 New Mexico 68, No. 5 San Diego State 61

Jaelen House get’s his moment & secures his first MWC title in his last conference game.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico secures first conference tournament title in a decade, thanks to the play of Jaelen House & JT Toppin.

Las Vegas, NV–If there were any better cherry on top of what has been one of the more competitive & entertaining Mountain West seasons in recent years, it was the championship game slated for Saturday afternoon in sin city. A showdown between longtime conference rivals No. 5 seed San Diego State & No. 6 seed New Mexico.

Two teams that may not have been on everyone’s bracket in the MWC Tournament title game, but two deserving programs nonetheless. New Mexico won three straight games in three straight days to get here. Beating Air Force on Wednesday (82-56), Boise State (76-66) on Thursday & Colorado State (74-61) late Friday night.

While San Diego State got a bye into the quarterfinals on Thursday, where they narrowly squeezed by UNLV 74-71. Then upsetting No. 1 seed & regular season champion Utah State 86-70 on Friday.

It isn’t unfamiliar territory for either program, but it’s been a second home for one & a once in a while destination for the other. San Diego State have become fixtures in the Mountain West Tournament title game the last decade. Making nine appearances in ten years & cutting the nets down four times in that span.

While New Mexico made a Cinderella style run in Paul Weir’s first season in Albuquerque back in 2018. That game was also against the Aztecs & their “first year” Head Coach Brian Dutcher. The Lobos fell 82-75 to their conference rivals that year.

Missing out on the title, one they haven’t brought home to Albuquerque since Craig Neals first year in charge in Albuquerque back in 2014. Noodles inherited a Steve Alford built roster to help lift that trophy. With history & an automatic berth to the big dance on the line, each team needed to cap amazing individual seasons with an amazing win Saturday afternoon.

The Lobos momentum was still in full swing at tip-off. Hitting the floor hard in the opening minutes on a 6-2 run. A Darrion Trimmell three pointer brought the Aztecs to within one. Sparked by Jaelen Houses’ energy, New Mexico found their offensive rhythm, though San Diego State kept things close.

Richard Pitino’s squad enjoyed small runs all throughout the first half. The first thanks to five straight Jamal Mashburn Jr. points, giving New Mexico their biggest lead to that point, 16-8 approaching the ten minute mark. To be followed with four straight three point field goals (3-House & 1-Mashburn Jr.) to extend their lead to double-digits, 30-18.

After a JT Toppin layup gave the Lobos the 34-20 lead approaching the two minute mark, the Aztecs made their stand. Going on a 10-2 run before half-time, with all points coming in the paint from their frontcourt duo of Jay Pal & JaeDon LeDee. As the buzzer sounded, New Mexico went into the locker rooms up 36-30.

Second Half

Even though the Lobos surrendered the closing minutes of the first half to the Aztecs, they wouldn’t let that influence how they emerged from half-time. Earning a quick five points from their backcourt duo before San Diego State decided it was time to put the clamp down.

The Aztecs fell victim to New Mexico’s fast pace style of play most of the game. Leading to their deficit & leadless first half. But Brian Dutcher’s squad wins their games in a much slower & physically charged way. San Diego State made a stand that would turn what was a comfortable Lobo lead most of the game into a one procession dogfight the rest of the way.

The Aztecs would turn to a style of play called, pass the ball to Jaedon. A play that would see LeDee vie for position in the post, receive the ball & eight times out of ten get fouled & head to the line. The other two times out of ten he would make the shot.

Creating quite a conundrum for New Mexico, who became spooked & decided their approach would be fouling the Aztec big to make him earn his points at the free throw line. Well, it sounded nice in theory. But LeDee came into this one shooting 72.4% from the free throw line. LeDee would go to the line multiple times over the next ten minutes, slowing the game down & taking New Mexico out of their offensive rhythm almost immediately.

A Jaelen House technical foul approaching the ten minute mark would trigger a series of plays that ultimately gave San Diego State their first lead of the game at 44-43 thanks to a Reese Waters jumper.

The next ten minutes were an exchange of free throws with a few genuine field goals scattered about. It brought everything down to the final two minutes of the game. Were both squads were tied at fifty-nine a piece, a time where the only way New Mexico would pull the upset would be if someone scored true field goals & rebounded when their opponents didn’t.

In comes MWC Freshman of the Year JT Toppin, Who grabbed four rebounds & scored five points, which became the cushion needed for third year Head Coach Richard Pitino to secure his first conference title.

The Lobos began to celebrate their 68-61 win at the buzzer, as the first No. 6 seed to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament ever. Jamal Mashburn Jr. joined House & Toppin in double-figures 21 points thanks to some very clutch shooting from all three-levels of scoring.

Player Spotlights

New Mexico–JT Toppin & Jaelen House

Stat line: House-28 points, 5 rebounds & 3 steals on 10-22 (45.4%) from the floor & 3-7 (42.8%) from deep in 36 minutes of action Toppin-13 points & 11 rebounds on 6-8 (75%) from the floor in 35 minutes of action

The performance House had in the first half is the reason the Lobos were able to stay competitive as the Aztecs began chipping away at their grip on the lead. But it was also his level head in the second half as his team struggled, continuing to give effort & not letting it get to his head. His game high 28 points help attribute to an amazing final MWC game ever. And to go out cutting down the nets in the Pit West, there is no better feeling.

JT Toppin stepped up with his double-double as frontcourt mate Nelly Junior-Joseph was mainly tasked with keeping Aztec x-factor LeDee unimpactful until he absolutely couldn’t. So Toppin contributed in all the best ways down low, blocking & altering shots, securing boards of both variety & making shots when no one else could. I couldn’t give the spotlight to just one players as the game was won with the performances of both.

San Diego State F-Jaedon LeDee

Stat line: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists on 7-12 shooting (58.3%) from the floor & a whopping 11-11 (100%) from the free throw line in 37 minutes of play

LeDee went scoreless in the first fifteen minutes of the game. Which is something no one realized until he began scoring every single minutes of the game going forward. The Aztec big man found his confidence late in the first half & found his role going forward, wrecking ball who can shoot free throws, exactly to his liking. LeDee can score at all three levels but is his most consistent battling for space in the paint.

No other Aztec scored in double-figures & his 100% performance from the charity stripe is the a huge piece of why the momentum of the game was laid gently in their hands most of the second-half. It was an All-Tournament level performance for the ages, a great way to cap a great career in the Mountain West.

Next Up:

With the final buzzer in Las Vegas on Saturday night, the conference postseason comes to a close with an incredible performance from all teams involved. The only thing left to do is tune in tomorrow Sunday March 17th for this year’s production of the NCAA Tournament Selection Show.

You can watch Selection Sunday on CBS at 4:00 PM MT & 3:00 PM PT. A streamed version of the show can be viewed on NCAA.com during their March Madness Live Special.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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Utah State Secures Outright MWC Title, With 87-85 Win Over New Mexico

Game Recap: No. 22 Utah State 87, New Mexico 85 Utah State Secures Outright MWC Title, With 87-85 Win Over New Mexico Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Darius Brown II’s game winning three pointer gives Utah State & Danny Sprinkle their first …

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 Game Recap: No. 22 Utah State 87, New Mexico 85

Utah State Secures Outright MWC Title, With 87-85 Win Over New Mexico

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Darius Brown II’s game winning three pointer gives Utah State & Danny Sprinkle their first outright MWC title.

Logan, UT–As some teams were engaging in conference tournament championship games around the country. Teams in the Mountain West were still clashing for seeding for their own conference tournament next week in Las Vegas. Part of what could be described as “seeding musical chairs” on Saturday was what could absolutely turn into a dogfight in Logan.

New Mexico packed their bags & headed northwest. Ready to end their season on a win & looking for the sweep over league leaders No. 22 Utah State inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

The last time these two met was on January 16th, back when a red hot Lobo team secured the 99-86 upset over the then No. 16 Aggies inside the Pit. And even though New Mexico has cooled off plenty since that magical run in January.

They’ve proven in the very recent past that they can beat Utah State. Something not many others have been able to say this season. With plenty on the line Saturday night, both teams put on an absolute show in Logan.

The Lobos got things started quite quickly as they normally do. With back-to-back field goals by star freshman JT Toppin in a span of about 13 seconds or so. Utah State stayed right with them after several free throws & a dunk by Ian Martinez, which gave them their first lead of the game at 7-6.

The reoccurring theme of the night would be the toe-to-toe style and pace of the game throughout. As both teams exchanged field goals with a tie at 10 a piece thanks to another Toppin layup down low & once again at 12 a piece thanks to a Nelly Junior Joseph layup soon after, both assisted by Jaelen House.

Both teams found plenty of success scoring in the paint. In fact, all scoring was done exclusively inside the arc or at the free throw line until Mustapha Amzil drained a three pointer eight minutes into the first half to bring New Mexico to within one (22-21). This after a 6-0 Utah State run gave them some breathing room until the Lobos regained their scoring form.

Amzil would find his confidence from beyond the arc in the first half Saturday night, scoring the next six Lobo points from deep to keep his squad neck and neck with Danny Sprinkle’s team. Scoring again on a layup before receiving some help via two more layups from Toppin & House.

For Utah State the three-headed attack of Brown II, Martinez & Osobor kept their guests at bay in the first half. Struggling from deep (1-8), but finding layup after layup in the lane with their offensive chemistry on full display.

New Mexico gained their first lead (39-38) since the opening few minutes thanks to a pair of Jaelen House free throws approaching the three minute mark. Javon Jackson would send him back to the line after a missed Osobor jumper on the other end. House’s clutch gene kicked in once again as he drained both free throws to extend the Lobo lead to four (42-38) approaching the two minute mark in the half.

Both teams would close the half on a rather cold note. Missing the next eight field goal attempts combined before a Martinez free throw went in for Utah State. To be followed up by what Donovan Dent does best, a layup on the other end to extend New Mexico’s lead to 44-39 before the half-time buzzer sounded.

The first half was certainly a toe-to-toe bout. With Sprinkle’s aforementioned three-pronged attack leading the way. As Great Osobor lead all scorers with 15 points & 6 rebounds, Ian Martinez being the other Aggie in double-figures with 11 points & Brown II being the catalyst for most of it with 9 points of his own to go along with 5 assists & 4 rebounds.

Without Amzil’s hotstreak in the middle of the half, New Mexico would be playing catchup after the break. Entering half-time with 13 points, primarily off of his stellar 3-4 (75%) shooting performance from deep.

JT Toppin was the other Lobo in double figures with 10 points off of 5-7 (71.4%) shooting. House posted numbers similar to his Aggie counterpart with 9 points, 5 rebounds & 4 assists, playing a similar role for the visiting squad.

The Aggies were not ready to lose their sole possession of the conference championship to New Mexico that easily. They opened the second-half with a 6-0 run thanks to three different players scoring the ball to retake the lead.

Donovan Dent scored New Mexico’s first points of the half with back-to-back driving layups to take back the lead at 48-47. Ian Martinez capitalized on a House turnover with a three pointer giving that lead right back to Utah State.

Out of a commercial timeout Josh Uduje earned his first two points of the game with two free throws to extend the Aggie lead out to 52-48. Only for that lead to be chopped at by House’s first three pointer of the game on the other end.

Each side would exchange a few made field goals after that to rapidly progress the score to 60-57 in just a few minutes of time. Keeping the style & pace of the game fast and effective. The Lobos began relying on three point attempts, finding plenty of success (2-3) while the Aggies made their money any which way they could, mainly at the free throw line.

Baker Jr.’s second three-pointer of the half drove Utah State to call a timeout as the Lobo’s 65-59 lead was setting the scene for a dangerous run. Which when hot, Richard Pitino’s group are as impossible as anyone in the country to catch up with. Just ask the Aggies, who fell victim to such a hot streak back in mid-January in Albuquerque.

Out of the timeout each side would attempt to bank on three pointers to gain a fast edge, neither succeeded. Though after a media timeout gave each side time to once again regroup, Utah State came out swinging. With back-to-back buckets at the rim, shrinking the Lobo lead to just one point, after a Martinez and one opportunity (65-64).

Two more made field goals around the basket kept things close going forward. As JT Toppin began to rediscover his touch around the basket for four straight New Mexico points.

In the midst of a relatively quite night, Mason Falslev drove to the hoop for another layup. Keeping his team to within one point & within striking distance of what was becoming a paper thin Lobo lead.

Another media timeout gave time for Coach Pitino’s group to stop the bleeding & assess the damage before sending Brown II to the free throw line. Those two opportunities he would sink, giving the Aggies back the lead for the first time in over seven minutes.

Dent would tie it up again with a free throw of his own before Martinez sank his third triple of the night on the other end (73-70). He would go on to send Junior-Joseph to the line on the defensive side.

Even after making only one of his two opportunities, Junior-Joseph found a way to tie things up once again with a layup following an Osobor turnover. Keeping fans inside the Spectrum on the edge of their seats as time wound down.

House received his 4th foul of the night soon after, sending Brown II to the line for two more free throws & himself to the bench out of caution with five minutes left to play. As Brown II drained his seventh free throw of the game on one side, Junior-Joseph tied things up once again on the other.

Uduje threw a wrench into the pound for pound style of play with a three pointer. Amzil drained a two-point jumper on the other end to keep New Mexico in it. Now down by just one at 78-77. Soon after he found himself at the charity stripe with a chance to take the lead. Amzil would go 1-2 and tie things up at 78 a piece.

Kalifa Sakho made two huge free throws on the other end to give Utah State the 80-78 lead with a little over two minutes to go in the game. Following a missed House jumper, Falslev drove to the basket in transition to give the Aggies a four point lead. Donovan Dent followed suit with a driving layup of his own to make it a one possession game again.

Sakho would turn the ball over after a New Mexico timeout but Toppin couldn’t capitalize on the other end missing an opportunity down low. Osobor secured the defensive rebound but Martinez couldn’t capitalize himself on the other end.

With a little over a minute left to go an Osobor offensive rebound & miss down low led to a official review under the two minute mark as the ball flew out of bounds.

After the suspense, New Mexico would receive the ball. With the chance to take the lead, the ball went to Donovan Dent. And the super sophomore made it look easy with the game tying layup.

As all seemed destined for overtime, Ian Martinez dunked it home on the other end to give them the 84-82 lead with forty seconds left to go in this nail bitter. You can’t ever tell Jaelen House it’s a lost cause though, as he received the inbound pass, sprinted to the other & drained the two point jumper.

With things all tied up, the ball went into the hands of Utah State’s most experienced player, Darius Brown II. As time chipped away the ball left his hands & the possible game winning three pointer found the bottom of the net to signal the thunderous applause of the home crowd.

As expected, New Mexico took the timeout to set up a possible game tying three pointer. Uduje committed the quick fouled to send House to the line, to take the possible three pointer out of the equation.

After an extremely clutch jumper in their last possession, House would make the first free throw & prepare to miss the second. As only a missed free throw would give New Mexico the chance to send things to overtime with a second chance field goal.

To add insult to injury, House would proceed to miss the second free throw & some questionable play calling (or lack there of) would ensue. Though it didn’t matter. As the final buzzer sounded, students rightfully stormed the court after an extremely successful season & Utah State earned the outright regular season championship after their 87-85 win on senior night.

Coach Pitino would go on to petition the officiating crew after House’s second free throw appeared to have not touched the rim. Something that if noticed & called by the referees would have reset the play & put a few seconds back on the clock. It might not have mattered, but it was an oversight. No such decision was made & both teams called it a night.

The visiting Lobos played valiantly, giving fans across the nation a show the Mountain West is becoming known to produce. Leaving Logan with four players in double-figures, a double-double from Nelly Junior-Joseph (13 points & 10 rebounds) & extremely solid play from it’s stars.

New Mexico fans can only buck up, after losing to the now official Mountain West Regular Season Champions & prepare for the trip next week.

It is the Aggies first outright Mountain West title ever. Not to mention the cherry on top of would could be argued as the most impressive inaugural season for a coach ever by Danny Sprinkle. Who is already seeing his name tied to openings in the upcoming coaching carousel before his team even finishes the season.

To complete the full sweep next week in Las Vegas would be something special. Which, is something this team is totally equipped to do after being picked to finish 9th way back in October of last year.

Player Spotlights

New Mexico F–Mustapha Amzil

Stat line: 18 points, 5 rebounds & 2 assists on 6-8 (75%) from the floor & 3-5 (60%) from deep in 32 minutes off of the bench.

On a team filled with capable scorers, Amzil managed to come off of the bench & be the difference maker for New Mexico Saturday night. Yes, his team didn’t win.

But I don’t think anyone would argue that the Lobos wouldn’t have even come close to a down to the wire performance in Logan without Amzil’s three point shooting & off the bench production His team high 18 points also helped fill the scoring gap left by Jamal Mashburn Jr. as he sat out entirely with an injury.

Utah State G-Darius Brown II

Stat line: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals & 9 assists on 5-9 shooting (55.5%) from the floor, 7-9 (77.7%) from the line & 1 game winner in 39 minutes of action

Brown II showed everyone why he is gearing up for his likely third NCAA Tournament appearance Saturday night. The graduate transfer helped secure Utah State’s first outright Mountain West title with a beautifully clutch game winning three pointer as time expired.

Along with the biggest play of the game he made others, nearly logging an assist featured double-double with 9 assists & only four turnovers. As a few of his teammates waivered in the second-half, he stayed locked in.

Next Up:

With the wrap to the regular season coming tonight, both teams pack their bags & prepare for a trip oh so many of us make in our life. Straight through to Las Vegas baby.

The Lobos haven’t cut down the nets inside the Thomas & Mack center since Craig Neal’s first season in charge over a decade ago. This team has shown brilliant flashes this season, but will head to Vegas as a bottom half seed with their work cut out for them.

While the Aggies haven’t gotten the chance to climb the ladder inside the Thomas & Mack Center since Craig Smith’s first season back in 2018-2019. The same year they shared their last regular season title with Nevada.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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