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Game Recap: New Mexico 88, No. 19 SDSU 70
New Mexico enjoyed a double-digit win over rivals San Diego State in front of a sold out crowd.
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The Lobos received a team effort to put away top-25 ranked Aztecs at home.
Albuquerque, NM–A conference rivalry that was on the verge of extinction this time last season was truly alive in Albuquerque on Saturday afternoon. In front of a sold out crowd inside the Pit, two of the Mountain West’s best hit the hardwood.
For the No. 19 Aztecs it was an opportunity to put the smackdown on a talented Lobo team who is coming off of a tough couple of road losses. For New Mexico, it was a shot at knocking off a top-25 opponent at home, who just happens to be one of your oldest rivals.
Things were tight from the opening tip. As the Lobos & Aztecs traded buckets most of the 1st half. With high energy, high emotion plays coming left & right. But the Aztecs began to play their game around the ten minute mark to separate themselves in front of an involved Lobo crowd.
A slowed down approach on both sides of the ball made every basket count. And when the Lobos went on a dry spell during that time, the Aztecs took advantage. Taking their first double-digit lead (29-19) behind offensive efforts from Darrion Trammell & Miles Byrd.
The Lobos weren’t going to take a beating like that lying down, certainly Jaelen House wasn’t. The graduate combo guard helped ignite a 17-0 run that would shrink their double-digit deficit and give them the 36-35 lead approaching the 2:15 mark.
Aside from House’s 14 first-half points, the Lobos were given the edge heading into the half by way of their free throw shooting. New Mexico’s three guard trio of Dent, House & Mashburn Jr. combined for 12-12 from the charity stripe. It’s hard to point to anything else offensively in the first twenty that gave them an advantage.
The second-half started out similarly, this time with the Lobos in the driver seat. Running and gunning off of defensive turnovers, the crowd inside the Pit was treated to highlight reel dunks left and right.
All of this until the Aztecs wore them out a tad. A few San Diego State buckets shrank the lead to within five. The Lobos answered as they had all game, with solid defensive plays from their guards & bigs.
A technical foul on San Diego State’s Miles Byrd around the 14th minute mark was a testament to how physical things were all night. The Aztecs were given two more technical just minutes later for some pushing & jarring once again. Those moments can be momentum killers but
The Lobos continued to trade buckets with their visitors. Eventually going on an 11-1 run approaching the ten minute mark to take their largest lead of the game (64-51). That lead would get as high as 19 behind the efforts of Mashburn Jr. and the rest of his team. The senior guard has looked out of rhythm since his hand injury back in November.
New Mexico never looked back, with multiple guards with red hot hands & JT Toppin in the post to defend and flush the ball any chance he got it was over.
“We were able to do it on a national stage against a nationally ranked team.” said Coach Pitino “A great day for our team and our fans”
Player Spotlights
New Mexico F-JT Toppin
Stat line: 17 points, 16 rebounds & 5 blocked shots
I changed this multiple times throughout the game, cycling through House, Mashburn Jr. & Toppin several times. But when I went to the box score & saw the freshman’s double-double and 4 blocked shots it felt necessary. Those four blocks could have easily been 8 or 10 as Toppin was active in the post all night, deflecting shots & passes.
“We knew we were going to win on defense, we knew we were going to score but we had to win on defense.” said Toppin on his squads defense
He also would have had over twenty points if he would have made some free throws (1-8). I don’t think the Lobos win without Toppin, their lack of interior defense has been an issue all season, not Saturday.
SDSU G– Darrion Trammell
Stat line: 12 points, 2 assists & 2 steals in 29 minutes on the floor.
There are not many stat sheet stuffing moments from the Aztecs during the season. They just aren’t that sort of team, they can get the job done as a team with no flashy stats. Trammell was one of the few Aztecs on the floor that looked to be score or create offense every time he touched the ball.
Three Takeaways
- Sometimes passion is what’s needed when facing adversity. There isn’t another player on the court with House at the same time that has more passion than him. He was a maestro for his squad’s offense as well the crowd’s involvement all game.
- The Aztecs played their game all game long. If your opponent is cold like the Lobos were in the first half you dominate and win. Once they find a rhythm as the Lobos did, the firepower isn’t always there to play catch up. A good showing by Brian Dutchers group, but let’s hope for a No. 25 ranking come Monday after that loss.
- This has become a marquee Mountain West matchup in the Pitino era. Something the Lobo fanbase needed while also contributing to the juggernaut reputation of the conference. Games like this are good for fans, nothing more to be said.
Next Up:
The Lobos take their win and continue their two game homestand against a red & hot top-25 ranked Utah State. Danny Sprinkle has the Aggies rolling in year one and that 8:30 PM MT tip-off can be seen on FS1 on Wednesday night.
While SDSU returns home to face Steve Alford and his Nevada Wolf Pack on Wednesday night as well. Nevada is always a tough conference matchup and boast two of the better guards in the Mountain West in Kenan Blackshear & Jarod Lucas. That 8:00 PM PT tip-off can be seen on the CBS Sports Network.
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.