Tag: Jaelen House

San Jose State Blown Out By No. 25 New Mexico, 95-75

San Jose State Blown Out By No. 25 New Mexico, 95-75

There was a familiar apathy in Provident Credit Union Event Center during San Jose State’s 95-75 loss to No. 25 New Mexico. SJSU fans schlepped their way out minutes before the game concluded. The Spartans hung their heads low on the bench. The school’s band provided a dreary backdrop after the blowout loss.

Now left needing to go 8-4 to be eligible for the CBI, SJSU must use lessons from Wednesday’s loss to New Mexico to save its season.

“We know at the end of the day we still are a team that people fear,” SJSU’s Myron “MJ” Amey said.

Now, SJSU (8-11, 1-5 MW) shouldn’t have been expected to win.

Recently, in an appearance on CBS Sports, college basketball pundit Jon Rothstein felt the Lobos could win the Mountain West and had the “highest ceiling” in the conference.

On top of that, the Lobos score the most points per game (86.3) in the Mountain West. The Spartans, meanwhile, allow the third most points per game (72.8) in the conference.

Bad matchup. Great team. That spells disaster.

So SJSU fans shouldn’t be flummoxed by what transpired in the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Tuesday.

But for the first time in conference play, the Spartans turned the ball over at an unreasonably high rate. SJSU had 18 turnovers which UNM turned into 25 points.

SJSU head coach Tim Miles called the Lobos’11 steals “an insane number.”

And really, for the first time all season, the talent disparity was completely evident.

UNM’s vaunted backcourt of Jaelen House (18 points), Jamal Mashburn Jr. (17 points) and Donovan Dent (17 points) torched the Spartans.

On one play in the first half, House laced a series of crossover dribbles at light speed before stepping back and knocking a jump shot over SJSU’s Trey Anderson despite his velcro-like defense.

Then on one second-half play, Amey sprinted the length of the court, and dove for a ball, his body screeching loudly, only for a Lobo to snatch it and heave it the other way for a Dent layup.

The game was littered with similar plays. Where no matter what SJSU did, no matter how much effort was exerted, it just wasn’t enough.

What must be remembered is that SJSU is by no means hapless.

Amey scored 24 points and despite a poor shooting night, Alvaro Cardenas dished 10 assists. Cardenas entered Tuesday’s matchup ranked 24th and 17th in Division I in assists and per game (5.9) and assist/turnover ratio (3.42).

Although the game devolved into a blowout, the Spartans at least made it competitive. With 6:12 left, following a breezy dunk by Trey Anderson (eight points), the Spartans cut the deficit to 75-66.

Then came a flurry of points and eventually Miles talking about the importance of a “growth mindset” in his press conference.

“I always talk about having an attitude that craves improvement. So if you won five in a row you just worry about getting better and if you lost five in a row you just worry about getting better, “Miles said.

But is this just what the rest of the season will look like? Where SJSU proves it’s good but not good enough?

Miles should hope not.

Game after game, however, his preseason concerns about NIL and the transfer portal leaving SJSU behind are coming to fruition.

UNM is one of seven Mountain West schools with a collective to “have reported annual NIL budgets for men’s basketball over $400,000,” according to the SF Chronicle.

The other six?

Colorado State, Wyoming, Nevada, Boise State, San Diego State and UNLV. Three of those teams – Colorado State, Nevada and UNLV – SJSU will face over its next five games.

But even if there’s a reason to, SJSU can’t approach games feeling like victims of its circumstance. For now, all it can do is prepare to beat UNLV this Saturday.

“How do you eat an elephant?” pondered Miles.

“One bite at a time,” he answered.

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Tuesday January 16th Results

Overtime in Colorado, A California Clash, the nation’s longest winning streak gone & the No. 16 Utah State gets first MWC loss.

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MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Tuesday January 16th Results

The Lobos win over No. 16 Utah State may highlight a wonderful night of hoops in the Mountain West.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Overtime in Colorado, a California clash, the nation’s longest winning streak gone & No. 16 Utah State gets first MWC loss.

Mountain West Action was in full effect Tuesday night. Full of storylines, quad 1 wins & plain old conference fun. The conference has a chance, no matter how small at sending six teams to the big dance in a couple of months. It’s far fetched & sending 5 teams (last done in 2013) would be considered huge progress, but hope keeps fanbases alive this time of year right? And fans were treated to some pretty riveting games from the Rocky Mountains to the West Coast.

Even as wins for some can be considered resume boosting & losses for others considered resume blotches this time of year. The Mountain West is a gauntlet & if you hope to survive, you bring your A game.

Colorado State 78, Air Force 69

In-state matchups seemed to be all the rage in the Mountain West on Tuesday night. As a struggling Colorado State team who was coming off of two straight losses after having one of the more impressive non-conference performances welcomed southern conference foes Air Force.

The Falcons like have elevated their competitiveness under Joe Scott. With three players averaging 15+ points a game & having all-conference caliber seasons. But they’ve done so in a Mountain West that has elevated it’s competitiveness as a whole.

Tuesday night inside Moby arena was yet another testament to how tough the Mountain West is year in and year out it seems. As the Rams were likely looking forward to sleeping in their own beds tonight after a two game road trip. But the Falcons forced Colorado State into overtime on their home court. Though, Niko Medved’s group managed to dominate their opponent in overtime (14-5). Giving them the 78-69 victory, no matter how ugly it was.

Joe Scott’s team shot an impressive 10-22 (45%) from beyond the arc, led by Ethan Taylor (18 points, 5-11 3FG) & Beau Becker (18 points, 4-8 3FG). With Colorado State nearly matching them with 10-24 (41%) but the x-factor as proclaimed by his Head Coach, being Joe Palmer off of the bench with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, a key block & shooting 3-6 from deep.

Fresno State 85, San Jose State 82 (Click For Recap)

The Bulldogs & Spartans may find themselves towards the bottom of one of the more competitive Mountain West Conferences in recent memory. But it doesn’t mean they can’t treat the fans inside the Save Mart Center to a fun in-state clash on a Tuesday night right?

Tim Miles continues to make the Spartans a respectable & competitive team in year three in the Bay Area. While now sixth year Bulldog Head Coach Justin Hutson still seeks stability in the Central Valley. As they met on the court neither squad backed down on Tuesday night.

Instead they kept things close & an Isaiah Hill buzzer beater was needed to seal the deal, giving Fresno State’s their first conference win of the year. A 30-point night from Tibet Gorener wasn’t enough to lift his team to the win on the road, even if he made 7-9 3-pointers. On the other side of the court, super senior Isaiah Hill’s 24 points, 9 assists with no turnovers & 5-8 three pointers gave himself a new season high in scoring & his team a much needed win.

UNLV 68, Boise State 64

The Runnin’ Rebels walked into the fortress known as ExtraMile Arena in Boise. The Broncos have managed to turn their home court into a topic of discussion by national media. The largest winning streak in the nation, twenty-two games at home was on the line for Boise State. For UNLV it was another chance to prove how tough this conference truly is.

Kevin Kruger’s group did their job, taking an undefeated (in conference play) Boise State team down to the wire to put an end to that Bronco fairytale. Twenty-four points from Tyson Degenhart wasn’t enough to keep the W in Boise. Leon Rice’s team needs to stay focused & avoid a dip in conference play, like others have done this far. Tuesday night may be the wake up call they need before they face San Diego State on Saturday on national television.

While UNLV was led by junior college transfer Robert Whaley Jr., who has taken some time to acclimate to the D-I game. Maybe he’s acclimated, as Whaley Jr. dropped 18 points on 8-11 shooting tonight. The Runnin’ Rebels have taken some tough losses thus far and handed them out jus the same. Don’t worry about their place in the current standings just yet, with plenty of basketball to still be played & weapons galore.

New Mexico 99, No. 16 Utah State

The Lobos looked like the team media all across the country were high on to in the preseason Tuesday night. Handing No. 16 Utah State their first conference loss and ending a seven game losing streak to the Aggies in the process. Danny Sprinkle’s group never gave up and had 5 players in double figures by the nights end.

As I said on Twi..whoops I mean X, Utah State didn’t have a bad game, far from it. The Lobos simply had a better one in front of 13,000 fans on a Tuesday night for a 8:45 PM tip-off. New Mexico had 6 players in double figures & were led by a double-double from Donovan Dent (15 points & 14 assists, just 1 turnover) & a breakout performance from Nelly Junior-Joseph (26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals on 91% shooting from the floor).

Ian Martinez had a huge second-half, which included 14 points & a 11-0 run of consecutive made three pointers & an acrobatic layup to shrink what had turned into a 20-point Lobo lead with more than half of the game left to play. If not for him, a respectable 13-point loss inside one of the toughest opposing arenas to walk into in the country, could have turned into a nationally televised blowout.

Current MWC Standings

1-No. 16 Utah State 4-1, 16-2

2-Boise State 3-1, 12-5

3-San Diego State 3-1 14-3

4-New Mexico 3-2, 15-3

5-Nevada 2-1, 15-2

6-Wyoming 2-2, 9-8

7-Colorado State 2-2, 13-3

8-UNLV 2-2, 9-7

9-Fresno State 1-3, 8-9

10-San Jose State 1-4, 8-10

11-Air Force 0-4, 7-9

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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New Mexico vs. No. 16 Utah State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Prediction & More

New Mexico vs. No. 16 Utah State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Prediction & More Can the Lobos pull off the encore & secure back-to-back top-25 win? Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire New Mexico hosts No. 16 Utah State, in search of second …

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New Mexico vs. No. 16 Utah State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Prediction & More

Can the Lobos pull off the encore & secure back-to-back top-25 win?

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico hosts No. 16 Utah State, in search of second straight top-25 win.

WHO: New Mexico (14-3, 2-2 in the MWC) vs. No. 16 Utah State (16-1, 4-0 in the MWC)

WHEN: Tuesday, January 16th, 8:30 PM MT

WHERE: University Arena aka “The Pit”, Albuquerque, NM

TELEVISION: FS1

STREAM:  FuboTV – Get a free trial

Line: KenPom ($), The Lobos are favored by 4 Points

Encore performances are a beautiful aspect of all kinds of entertainment, sports included. The ability to satisfy an audience’s demand of an incredible performance is special. And believe me Lobo fans are demanding an encore against No. 16 Utah State on Tuesday night.

It’s a big ask, but the Lobos haven’t even had the chance at back-to-back top-25 wins since 2012. They were actually presented with three such opportunities that year, all against San Diego State & UNLV. Their first two meetings resulted in losses, while the Lobos swept the next four.

New Mexico is coming off of what can be argued the biggest win of the Richard Pititno era in Albuquerque Saturday afternoon. When they welcomed a nationally ranked rival in San Diego State and performed a comeback for the ages.

The rest of conference play isn’t going to be a cake walk, it never is. But the momentum built on Saturday needs to be carried over against Utah State. That’s if the Lobos still have March Madness aspirations.

Because Utah State is enjoying an incredible inaugural year in the Danny Sprinkle era in Logan. In year one, Coach Sprinkle has managed to produce a 15-game winning streak including a 4-0 start in conference play. Not to mention the program’s first top-25 ranking since 2019. The program is absolutely rolling, continuing to be a mid-major jumping off point for up and coming coaches.

Tuesday night’s matchup against one of the hottest programs in college basketball is important to say the least. That 15-game Aggie winning streak is also the longest in the nation. And as of Monday, Utah State is the sole Mountain West team in the AP Top-25. After a tough week left the likes of Colorado State & San Diego State bruised and beaten out of the rankings all together.

So on a night filled with Mountain West action, the game with the most weight, might be in Albuquerque.

Players to Watch:

G Jaelen House–New Mexico

23-24 Stats: 15.7 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.3 RPG, 2.7 SPG & 38.5% 3FG

Last time out: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals on 7-16 (43.8%) shooting, including 4-9 (44.4%) from deep against No. 19 San Diego State

House is fun to watch, whether you love him or hate him, he’s good for college basketball. As his passion and never give up attitude on the floor resembles a video game cheat code, just ask San Diego State.

Without House’s resurgence and continued hustle on both sides of the ball, I’m not sure the Lobos even make it close. He is the x-factor for New Mexico and likely a focal point of Utah State’s gameplan.

F Great Osobor-Utah State

23-24 Stats: 18.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 BPG & 58.5% FG

Last time out: 24 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks on 6-12 (50%) shooting, including 12-13 (92.3%) from the free throw line against UNLV

Great Osobor is an absolute tank down low. A tank with great hands to go along with a great feel around the rim. He moves well in transition and is on the receiving end of plenty of passes from fellow former Bobcat Darius Brown II. Who just happens to rank 3rd in the entire nation for assists (7.4).

Osobor is enjoying a red hot breakout season, logging double-digit scoring outputs in all of but two games so far. That also includes eight 20+ games and eight double doubles. If the Aggies are looking to secure another quad 1 win to add to their resume, a good night from Osobor is key.

Keys to the Game

For New Mexico:  Interior Defense, Get to the line & Defend the perimeter

The Lobos didn’t look well balanced in the first ten minutes or so against San Diego State. They eventually found their defensive rhythm & put an end to the Aztec’s slow but potent offense.

It took a little longer to figure out how to put points in the basket after shooting horribly to start the game. The solution, three guards shooting a combined 12-12 from the free throw line when nothing else seemed to fall.

On the defensive side, it was 14 blocks (11 in the first half) & 8 steals. Ten of those blocks belonged to the Lobos’ frontcourt starters. They’ll need a similar performance against one of the toughest interior matchups in the country right now, Great Osobor.

For Utah State:  Solid looks for Osobor, Ball Security & Clog the lanes

Some nights Great Osobor is a walking bucket. A walking 6’8 245 pound wrecking ball with great hands type of bucket. With a completely new roster, it’s obvious now that Osobor was the gem of this recruiting class. He’ll need a big night against a Lobo squad that hasn’t been known for their interior defense all season.

The Aggies will also need top notch ball security as the Lobos are one of the best teams in the country at creating offense off of turnovers. Lastly, Utah State will have to clog the lanes & force New Mexico to the free throw line to earn their points or to take & make the three (which has proven to be impossible some nights).

Prediction: New Mexico 80, Utah State 76

The power of the Pit was on full display Saturday afternoon. But a sold out & ruckus crowd isn’t always enough to secure two consecutive wins over top-25 caliber opponents. The Lobos need a similar offensive & defensive balance that gave them their weekend upset.

KenPom has New Mexico as 4-point favorites, which feels accurate given these two teams offensive capabilities. As the Lobos and Aggies are leading the conference in scoring at number one and two. It might just come down to who gets there first.

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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UNLV Beats New Mexico Inside & Out, 83-73 Tuesday Night

Game Recap: UNLV 83, New Mexico 73 The Runnin’ Rebels homecourt advantage holds true Tuesday night. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Boone brothers lead UNLV over New Mexico in conference opener. Las Vegas, NV-After a single matchup between …

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 Game Recap: UNLV 83, New Mexico 73

The Runnin’ Rebels homecourt advantage holds true Tuesday night.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Boone brothers lead UNLV over New Mexico in conference opener.

Las Vegas, NV–After a single matchup between New Mexico and UNLV last season that was a true testament to the gauntlet of a conference the Mountain West truly is. Then second year head coach Kevin Kruger’s squad went into the Pit and handed the Lobos their second straight loss to start off conference play.

Both programs met as two of the more impressive teams during non-conference play to that point. It was the only meeting between them last season. Setting the stage for a possible revenge win for New Mexico on the road.

UNLV opened the doors to the Thomas & Mack Center Tuesday evening with a 7-6 (0-1, MWC) record but a top-10 win over Creighton back in December. The Runnin’ Rebels were missing key transfers early on & have since been victims of the injury bug. But that doesn’t make them any less dangerous.

New Mexico (13-2, 1-1) made the trip to Sin City looking to bounce back after a road loss to top-25 ranked Colorado State over the weekend. A win over UNLV would be just what’s needed inside the Lobo program to get things rolling in the new year. Unfortunately, Kevin krugers team had something else in mind.

The Runnin’ Rebels came out swinging. Taking a quick 4-0 lead to open things up and exert dominance over their guests with the help of their three point shooting early. UNLV enjoyed a 13-4 lead before a timeout halted their barrage.

The Lobos made adjustments after that and were sparked by the always entertaining combo guard Jaelen House. New Mexico was able to close the gap after that. With the help of true freshman Tru Washington off of the bench, they were able to take their first lead of the game around the nine minute mark with a pair of free throws (23-21).

This one stayed close as foul trouble in the first-half contributed to surges and setbacks for both teams. UNLV leaned on their 3-point shooting to hold New Mexico off, finishing the half 50% (6-12) while the Lobos went 0-3.

Richard Pitino’s group played reserved as their impact players went to the bench one-by-one due to foul trouble. Keeping New Mexico in this one was transfer forward Mustapha Amzil. The former Dayton Flyer has struggled in Albuquerque, but managed a team high 10 points in the first-half. It helped, as the Lobos went into the break only down 40-38.

UNLV emerged from the half-time break with the same energy they began the game with. With the same strategy that worked for them all game, pass the ball to Kalib in the post & Keylan on the perimeter. Helping extend their team’s lead to 21 points approaching the ten minute mark. It also turned out to be the winning formula of the night, combined with New Mexico’s turnover problem & complete absence from behind the arc.

Kalib ended with a game high 29 points from a dominant performance in the paint. While Keylan had a season high 17 points thanks to a near career high five made three point attempts. There was four Runnin’ Rebels to reach double figures, along with Luis Rodriguez (13 points) & Dedan Thomas Jr. (14 points).

The freshman sensation was particularly impressive. As the target of Jaelen House’s defensive torment all night, Thomas Jr. prevailed. Adding 7 assists, 3 rebounds & 2 steals to his 13 points while playing a whopping 38 minutes.

House himself tried to spark a run late in the second-half but it wasn’t enough. The Lobos were able to shrink their deficit to a slightly respectable margin in the closing minutes.

House was joined by freshman JT Toppin with 16 points a piece and maybe the only respectable field goal percentages of someone wearing cherry & silver (7-11, 63.3%). But it’s clear, New Mexico needs to make some adjustments as they dive deeper into conference action.

UNLV secured the quad 2 win at home while keeping the Thomas & Mack Center their home court fortress this season (6-1).

Player Spotlights

New Mexico G-Jaelen House

Stat line: 16 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds on 7-11 (63.3%) shooting in 26 minutes of action

During House’s time in Albuquerque, his reputation around the Mountain West is well known. The grad student combo guard is hardnosed, lightening fast with the ball, undersized at times but high energy.

But maybe his most important quality is he never backs down, from no one. Tuesday night House helped keep his team from Mountain West mediocrity as he took the offensive reigns to help himself & freshman JT Toppin to a team high 16 points a piece.

He was also disruptive defensively even though he ended the night with 0 steals, for only the second time this season. It wasn’t his best performance but in a game where most of his teammates looked intimidated, House stood tall.

UNLV-Keylan & Kalib Boone

Stat line: Kalib-29 points, 4 rebounds on 11-16 (68%) shooting, 7-8 FTs in just 28 minutes. Keylan-17 points, 5 rebounds on 5-11 (45%) from deep in 29 minutes on the floor

I was only going to give the spotlight to Kalib after his dominant paint performance against every player the Lobos threw at him. It was fun to watch in an era of less & less back to the basket play.

But maybe just as fun if not more is a great three-point shooting display. Insert Keylan, who in my opinion gave UNLV the competitive edge in the first-half while his brother finished things off in the post.

These two haven’t been on the floor together much at UNLV, but on Tuesday they looked like headaches for opposing teams in the Mountain West going forward.

Four Takeaways

  • UNLV looked confident & methodical from the tip on Tuesday. They look like they are still adjusting to life with Kalib Boone & life without Jalen Hill. But the Boone brothers showed up in the post & on the perimeter. While everyone else played into their roles and made opportunities work when they were given them.
  • Their shellacking of the Lobos to start the week is a great sign for the Runnin’ Rebels. They needed the quad 2 win incase they make a good enough run in the Mountain West to offset their mediocre non-conference performance.
  • If the Lobos’ season is riding on the ability to make threes OR create offense off of turnovers, it’s going to be a long ride. New Mexico hasn’t even been slightly respectable from deep this season. So teams that handle the ball well and outscore them look like their kryptonite.
  • I’m not sure the 3-guard lineup of Dent, House & Mashburn Jr. is the answer. We saw a different team before Mashburn Jr. rejoined the fold after the holidays. Not to say these last two losses are solely on his shoulders, but the team operates differently with this lineup. Maybe something to take a look at going forward before they are buried too far down the standings before February.

Next Up:

The Lobos return home for a date plenty of fans in New Mexico have circled on their calendar. The always intense rivalry between the Lobos and the No. 19 Aztecs of San Diego State. This clash of Mountain West titans is set for a noon tip-off in Albuquerque and can be watched on regular ole CBS.

While UNLV finish their two game homestand this week against a red hot No. 20 Utah State. Saturday’s noon tip-off against the Aggies can be watched 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.

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New Mexico Uses Strong Second-half to Put Away Gauchos, 84-61

Game Recap: New Mexico 84, UC Santa Barbara 61 Lobos looked well balanced and stayed the course for a very solid mid-week win. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Donovan Dent and Tru Washington lead second-half charge against a talented UC …

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 Game Recap: New Mexico 84, UC Santa Barbara 61

Lobos looked well balanced and stayed the course for a very solid mid-week win.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Donovan Dent and Tru Washington lead second-half charge against a talented UC Santa Barbara squad.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–The public eye may have been on the New Mexico football team’s Head football Coach announcement Wednesday afternoon. But the 7-1 Lobos Men’s Basketball team is riding a six-game winning streak and are coming off of one the largest wins over in-state rival New Mexico State.

The hype for that Rio Grande Rivalry clash surrounded the controversy caused sabbatical both programs took from the rivalry last season. The Aggies came to Albuquerque in rebuilding mode under first year Head Coach Jason Hooten. And Saturday’s 106-62 point Lobo victory was a testament to just where each program is at the moment.

It also sent Richard Pitino’s squad into the week with winning momentum for a very underrated test against UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday night. Former Arizona Associate Head Coach has built the Gauchos into a mid-major power on the west coast. UCSB is led by NBA Draft prospect Ajay Mitchell and several other experienced guards.

The game was closer than Lobo fans would have liked through the first-half. The Gauchos size, experience and leadership was very apparent from the opening tip. Spearheaded early by SEC transfer Yohan Traore who did most of UCSB’s scoring as Mitchell adjusted to the Lobos defense.

The former Auburn Tiger was the only Gaucho to break the double-digit mark with 12 points in the first-half. While Mitchell made his impact with 8 points & 4 assists, but was kept to just 30% shooting on 3-10 field goals.

New Mexico only trailed UC Santa Barbara in the first minute of action. And while their lead was shrank to as few as two points multiple times, they never lost it. Mostly due in part to freshman big JT Toppin who had 11 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the floor with several key defensive stops in transition.

Star guard Jaelen House was all over the floor defensively with 2 steals to go along with 2 assists but was held scoreless. No worries though, as sophomore Donovan Dent had (what is becoming a regularity) solid first-half with 15 points & 5 assists to go along with 2 blocks.

The second-half was where the Lobos needed to break away, they began to do so five minutes or so into the half. Inspired by a 6-0 run & capitalized by a monster slam by Donovan Dent.

He didn’t slow down, barreling down the lane time after time to gives his squad the 16-point advantage as they approached the ten minute mark.

Aided by current Mountain West Freshman of the Week Tru Washington, who scored all of his 17 points in the second half after finding himself in foul trouble early. With solid point guard play coupled with great bench production the Lobos began to create their safety net.

A pair of technical fouls on the Lobos nearly derailed their momentum at times but they responded well. With their perimeter defense being the highlight of the night. Posting 12 steals to go along with 23 fast break points to end the night.

They made nothing easy on pro prospect Ajay Mitchell, making him earn every single point since the opening tip. While also finding an answer for Traore in the second-half, holding him to just 4 points after a very strong performance before half time.

It was a well balanced performance for Coach Pitino’s group. Posting a 23-point win over what will likely be an NCAA Tournament team out of the Big West to extend the Lobos’ win streak to seven. As they have a quick turnaround before Saturday’s trip back to Henderson, NV this weekend.

Player Spotlights

New Mexico G-Donovan Dent & Tru Washington

Stat line Dent: 23 points, 8 assists, 2 blocks & 2 steals on 9-15 shooting 35 minutes on the floor.

Dent had one of his more quite double-doubles of the season against New Mexico State over the weekend. Wednesday night Dent added to his legacy at New Mexico, with a dazzling display driving the lane. Staying composed and driven to keep his team in the lead throughout. The sophomore sensation drove with calmness and purpose while also keeping his teammates in mind.

Stat line Washington: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists & 2 steals in 22 minutes on the floor

Washington simply forced my hand at giving my first co-play spotlights of the season. The surging freshman was neutralized early with 2 quick fouls and kept scoreless on the bench. As New Mexico received no offensive support from their bench in the first-half, Washington exploded for 17 points in the second and proved to be the difference maker on the scoresheet.

UCSB F-Yohan Traore

Stat line: 18 points, 5 rebounds on 8-12 shooting in just 26 minutes on the floor

With plenty of the focus on his floor general teammate, Traore thrived in the paint. The 6’11 big man definitely cooled off in the second-half, but was the only factor keeping his team competitive in the first.

It would have been easy to give the spotlight to Ajay Mitchell, who scored 14 of his points in the second-half off of 12-12 shooting from the charity stripe. But Traore dominated early on, it made the Lobo coaching staff make adjustments at half-time and shift their defensive focus.

Three Takeaways

  • This Lobo team was tested early and kept composure through a tight first-half. Staying team focused while playing efficient basketball on both sides. Star guard Jaelen House didn’t score his first points until well into the second-half, but it didn’t matter New Mexico was winning.
  • Dent has been simply astounding all year. Playing well above his years with poise and skill while proving he can lead a team and score in droves. I wasn’t exactly sure how year two would look in Albuquerque for Dent, but he’s made the Lobos’ future look very bright for years to come.
  • I can’t praise this freshman class enough. JT Toppin’s early season success was inspiring to see. Even tonight, logging 18 points, 3 blocks & 2 steals in just 20 minutes on the floor. While Washington’s emergence of late is just what the Lobos needed heading into December. Providing a closing scoring option down the stretch when opposing defenses begin to figure out how to slow down New Mexico’s backcourt. They’ve given this team balance, which should only get better.

Next Up:

The Lobos will take their winning streak with them back to Henderson, NV on Saturday. This time to the Jack Jones Classic to face Santa Clara for a mid-day clash.

New Mexico’s matchup against the Broncos is set to tip-off December 9th at 3:00 PM MT. If you wish do so, you can view the stream behind a paywall on Baller TV ($).

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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New Mexico vs. UC Santa Barbara: Preview, How To Stream, Odds & More

New Mexico vs. UC Santa Barbara: Preview The Lobos look to continue hot streak against UC Santa Barbara Wednesday. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire New Mexico to finish three-game homestand against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. WHO: New …

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New Mexico vs. UC Santa Barbara: Preview

The Lobos look to continue hot streak against UC Santa Barbara Wednesday.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico to finish three-game homestand against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.

WHO: New Mexico (7-1, 0-0 in the MWC) vs. UC Santa Barbara (4-2, 0-0 in Big West)

WHEN: Wednesday, December 6th, 7:00 PM MT

WHERE: University Arena aka “The Pit”, Albuquerque, NM

STREAM: Mountain West Network

Line: KenPom, The Lobos are favored by 14 Points

Fandom in Albuquerque could not be higher as we venture further into the Month of December and closer to conference play. The Lobos are currently on a six game winning streak, sweeping their opposition in Henderson and returning to the Pit to add a couple more victories to their win column. One of those victories was one for the history books.

That aforementioned game was the second largest margin of victory over New Mexico State. Their in-state rivals fell 106-62, in the first Rio Grande Rivalry since the 2021-2022 season.

The Lobos were led by Jaelen House who scored 26 of his 28 points in the first-half, shooting 9-11 (81.8%) from the floor and a very impressive 5-6 from deep (83.3%), tying a career best in just 26 minutes on the floor.

Aside from House’s stellar contributions, the Lobos got a little help from everyone on Saturday night. With every single New Mexico player scoring at least one field goal, and a double-double from sophomore sensation Donovan Dent.

Plus a career night from emerging freshman Tru Washington, whose career high 21 points & 6 rebounds helped earn him his first Mountain West Freshman of the Week honor.

It was a dominant performance in every sense of the word and it’s added confidence to a surging New Mexico program that could very well not lose another non-conference game.

One of those games is an away game in Las Cruces against the Aggies on their own turf. Until then, they’ll host the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. A Big West program that has been a silent power house on the west coast since the arrival of their Head Coach, Jon Pasternack.

Like others before them, march down the ramp inside the Pit Wednesday night in hopes of leaving with an upset in one of the sport’s greatest venues.

UC Santa Barbara Breakdown

The Gauchos are lead by Jon Pasternack, their now 7th year head coach. Who spent time at Arizona as an Associate Head Coach under Sean Miller. During his time in Tucson Pasternack was crucial to the Wildcats’ success, which includes trips to five NCAA Tournaments, two Sweet 16s and two Elite Eights.

This success gave him the opportunity to return to the head coaching ranks once again. This time time around in Santa Barbara, CA, where Pasternack has built quite the powerhouse in the Big West. Producing five 20+ win seasons and two Big West trebles that include two trips to the big dance.

And while attracting future NBA talent like Aaron Gordon & Stanley Johnson to Tucson is easy, finding and developing NBA talent at UCSB is far more impressive. Coach Pasternack has done just that, sending Gabe Vincent (Lakers) & Jacquori McLaughlin to the bright lights of the NBA from a Big West school.

So, UC Santa Barbara has similar expectations this season to what Pasternack has gotten fans used to. Picked to win the Big West yet again, two returning starters and a boosted frontcourt by SEC transfer Yohan Traore (15.2 PPG/67.3% FG). Who brings high major size and athleticism to UCSB.

The Gauchos also boast one of the bigger (all guards 6’4+) and more experienced backcourts in the west. And it’s headlined by the returning Big West Player of the Year Ajay Mitchell (see below). On the perimeter he’s joined by stat sheet stuffer Josh Pierre-Louis who can score at all three levels and helps leads the team in assists (tied at 4.3 APG w/Mitchell). Not to mention returner and fellow long range shooter Cole Anderson (15/35, 42.9%).

Players to Watch:

G Jaelen House–New Mexico

After his spectacular performance against New Mexico State on Saturday, Jaelen House is officially back. Which is good news for Richard Pitino. As his leading scorer Jamal Mashburn Jr. is likely still questionable after missing the last three games with an undisclosed injury.

While House is back from dealing with an injury of his own that sidelined him for the first five games of the season. There appears to be no rust to shake off, since his return he’s averaged 22.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.0 APG & 3.0 SPG, shooting both 50% from the floor and 3-point range.

Though perhaps missed the most is House’s play making ability for himself and others. Something lacking at times this season, but as we saw Saturday, he make’s everyone around him better.

G Ajay Mitchell-UC Santa Barbara

Returning a conference player of the year in this day and age is a victory in and in itself. Whether through transfer portal poaching or the professional ranks, which Mitchell has received interest from during his first two seasons in Santa Barbara.

Though this season he’s taking things up a notch, in every statistical category that matters. Currently leading the Gauchos in scoring with 23.3 PPG while also chipping in 5.3 RPG, 4.3 APG & shooting 63.5% from the floor, 84.6% from the free throw line and an improved 50% from deep.

Mitchell can do it all, score at all three levels, get to the free throw line and take advantage. All of that at the point guard spot, at 6’5 190. Mitchell may be a big defensive assignment for most of the Lobos’ backcourt.

(Link to Mitchell highlights)

Keys to the Game

For New Mexico:  Distribute the ball well, Take and make the 3 & Defend the perimeter

The Lobos logged a season high in assists against the Aggies (24) and arguably their best assist to turnover ratio of the season as well (3:1). If the team can build on that ball movement and shoot the three ball similarly (14-25, 56%) while taking the three point shot away from the Gauchos, a quality win should be expected.

Prediction: New Mexico 90, UC Santa Barbara 76

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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New Mexico vs. Louisiana Tech: Preview, How To Stream, Odds & More

New Mexico begins a challenging three game homestand against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

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New Mexico vs. Louisiana Tech: Preview

The Lobos return home to host a hot Louisiana Tech squad.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico begins a challenging three game homestand against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

Updated as of 11/28/2023

WHO: New Mexico (5-1, 0-0 in the MWC) vs. Louisiana Tech (5-1, 0-0 in C-USA)

WHEN: Wednesday, November 29th, 7:00 PM MT

WHERE: University Arena aka “The Pit”, Albuquerque, NM

STREAM: Mountain West Network

Line: KenPom, The Lobos are favored by 8 Points

Feast Week has come and gone. And while some teams like the New Mexico Lobos emerged victorious from their multi-team events in places ranging from Maui to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Others returned home, simply gearing up for their next game.

Now, teams around the Mountain West have a little over a month to get ready for the new year and more importantly conference play. Richard Pitino’s squad returns to Albuquerque with three wins and a four game winning streak. The Lobos cleaned up last week in Henderson, with three victories by a margin of 20.3 PPG.

Ahead of them is a remaining non-conference slate with seven games remaining. Four against top-150 teams and several conference title favorites. There aren’t many resume boosters left on the Lobos’ schedule, but any of the remaining games can be classified as a resume dampener.

Luckily their backcourt duo of sophomore Donovan Dent (18.5 PPG) & Jamal Mashburn Jr. (18.2 PPG) are still scoring in droves. And they are joined by freshman sensation JT Toppin, who is averaging 14.2 PPG & 8.3 RPG and shooting an impressive 73.5% from the floor. The Lobos played some of their best basketball this season in Henderson. Which may not have been perfect, but there was definitely progress. And that’s the name of the game right now.

*As of Tuesday 11/28/2023, Jamal Mashburn Jr. is doubtful to play against Louisiana Tech with an injury.

Next up on that aforementioned schedule are the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. A team led by second year head coach Talvin Hester. A team that is riding a five game winning streak of their own. They risk that streak Wednesday night in one of the toughest road environments in the nation.

Louisiana Tech Breakdown

As mentioned Head Coach Hester is in year two of his rebuild of the Louisiana Tech basketball program. He had assistant stops from the SWAC to the Big 12 under coaches such as Mark Adams & Kelvin Sampson. A near 20-year coaching journey that has led him to his first head coaching role in Ruston.

Turning Louisiana Tech into a Conference USA power, even in the conference’s new iteration, is a tall task. A task that may be hard to do when you only returned four players that saw more than ten minutes a game last season.

That Bulldogs squad finished 9th in maybe one of the more competitive Conference USA’s in recent memory. Though on the bright side, those four players all made double-digit starts last season and are a part of a solid foundation to keep building on going forward.

Now, pair that with what is turning out to be a very solid recruiting class filled with high major transfers, mid-major journeymen and impact Juco transfers, and you have a top-100 ranked (KenPom) team that is 5-1 to start the year.

The Bulldogs haven’t been tested much since their 8-point loss to what has become a red hot Colorado State team back in early November. But they have been taking care of business when they need to. Beating their division-I foes on average by 11.0 PPG & beating others by a far more impressive margin.

Their doing this with a well balanced attack. With three players averaging 12.3 PPG & few not far behind. Their three-headed attack comes from all areas of the floor.

Starting with the all-conference caliber Isaiah Crawford who can play nearly all positions on the floor. In the post you’ll find Texas Tech Transfer Daniel Batcho, who is nearly averaging a double-double since being ruled eligible. Lastly there is Juco transfer Jaylin Henderson, who is a three-level scorer in the backcourt.

This Bulldogs team is built similarly to the Lobos. Not a ton of size in their most impactful lineup. Also mainly being a threat inside the arc, they get to the free throw line plenty and they are tough defensively. They have the chance at a top-50 (KenPom) win as tournament metrics will soon be published. And in Conference USA, every win counts.

Players to Watch:

F JT Toppin–New Mexico

After garnering his second Mountain West Freshman of the Week award this season, opposing coaching staffs must be focused on the 6-9 freshman. The Dallas, TX native earned those honors after averaging 17.0 PPG & 8.3 RPG, while shooting 81% (21-26) from the floor at the Ball Dawgs Classic.

Against Toledo, he set career highs of 27 points and 11 rebounds. While also shooting lights out in the post. Making his first 11 field goal attempts before finishing 11-12 in the closing minutes of the game. He’ll need another solid night to contribute to a Lobo win.

F Isaiah Crawford–Louisiana Tech

Isaiah Crawford was one of the few returning pieces from Coach Hester’s first year in Ruston. A very important piece to the puzzle the second year coach and his staff have put together this season.

The 5th year senior leads his team in points (14.2 PPG) & steals (2.3) as a small ball four and stat sheet stuffer. The 6-6 forward makes his money inside the arc (6.2 2PA, 67.6%) and at the free throw line (5.2 FTA) the hard way. Plenty of the Bulldogs offense runs through Crawford, a strong night from him will cause plenty of trouble for New Mexico.

Keys to the Game

For New Mexico:  Take care of the basketball, Take and make the 3 & Find points in the paint

At the moment the Lobos’ weak points are clear, poor three point shooting (31.3%) and no real offensive creativity aside from Dent. Coach Pitino’s squad isn’t taking a lot of three point shots and the ones they make are few and far between. This has moved their scorers inside the arc, averaging 49.7 2FG attempts a game at 52.3% on the year.

New Mexico must be conservative with their threes, take advantage of opportunities in the paint and make ball security a priority against Louisiana Tech.

*Now Richard Pitino needs to find a way to replace the lost production of Jamal Mashburn Jr. against the Bulldogs. With the recent news of his availability for Wednesday, paired with the game-time decision status of Jaelen House who hasn’t played since the teams season opener on November 6th, someone needs to step up.

Prediction: New Mexico 75, Louisiana Tech 70

If the Lobos bring the winning momentum they found on the road back home, Louisiana Tech should experience a loss in the Pit like others have this season (2-0).

Without the team’s second leading scorer their margin of victory shrinks a bit in my prediction. The team will need Tru Washington or Jemarl Baker Jr. to find the form they reached last week to make up for one of the best scorers in college basketball.

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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New Mexico Basketball: Ball Dawgs Classic Preview, How To Stream & More

New Mexico Basketball: Ball Dawgs Classic Preview The Lobos get things started with the Toledo Rockets late Tuesday night. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The Lobos head on the road for a three-game stand in Feast Week Multi-team event, The …

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New Mexico Basketball: Ball Dawgs Classic Preview

The Lobos get things started with the Toledo Rockets late Tuesday night.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

The Lobos head on the road for a three-game stand in Feast Week Multi-team event, The Ball Dawgs Classic.

WHO: New Mexico (2-1, 0-0 in the MWC) vs. Toledo (3-0, 0-0 in the MAC), Rice (1-2, 0-0 in AAC) & Pepperdine (3-2, 0-0 in WCC)

WHEN: Tuesday November 21st-Friday November 24th

WHERE: The Dollar Loan Center, Henderson, NV

STREAM: FLO Hoops ($)

It’s that time of year folks, with the holidays heavily upon us college basketball fans are gearing up for maybe their favorite time of year not named March Madness, Feast Week.

The second to last week in November always provides quality basketball matchups in a variety of venues and cities almost daily. For the New Mexico Lobos that means picking up shop and making the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV their home for the holiday “break”.

This comes after the Lobos were taken down to the wire in their lone game of week two of the college basketball season by UT Arlington. New Mexico looked out of sorts that game and let foul trouble combined with nearly zero post defense create a nail biter in the Pit.

In his post-game interview Thursday night, Head Coach Richard Pitino acknowledged a lack of chemistry as one of the teams biggest issues at the moment.

“We know our best basketball is ahead of us. We’ve dealt with so many injuries, we’ve dealt with Nelly (Junior-Joseph) missing four crucial months of practice, we just have to find a way. This team will progress as the season goes on with so many new guys.” said Coach Pitino

“Although I am excited about the future of this team and program. We have eight new players and when you take a veteran like Jaelen House out, we’ll now you got a lot of new guys on the court. And we are not going to be perfect right now. You have to learn from every opportunity you get.”

Now they’ll gear up and head west for three games in four days against MAC title hopefuls Toledo, AAC newcomers Rice and Lorenzo Romar’s Pepperdine Waves. It’s a tough task, but aside for the chance to grab some quality wins over top-175 KenPom ranked teams. It’s a chance for this Lobo squad to find more team chemistry before a very tough homestand the following week.

Team previews below

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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Lobos get a Dent buzzer beater to beat UT Arlington, 82-80

Game Recap: New Mexico 82, UT Arlington 80 Lobos go to 2-1 with buzzer beater over Mavericks. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Donovan Dent gives fans a coast-to-coast buzzer beater in 82-80 win over Arlington. ALBUQUERQUE, NM-The Lobos …

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 Game Recap: New Mexico 82, UT Arlington 80

Lobos go to 2-1 with buzzer beater over Mavericks.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Donovan Dent gives fans a coast-to-coast buzzer beater in 82-80 win over Arlington.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–The Lobos returned home to the Pit Thursday night to regain their winning ways after falling top Saint Mary’s on the road last week in Moraga, CA. The test, an underrated and undefeated UT Arlington Mavericks team. Who boasted length and shooting ability coming to Albuquerque on Thursday night.

Both squads had plenty of rust to shake off from long breaks, as the Lobos went 2-8 from the field in the first five minutes of play. They took their first lead of the game with two Jemarl Baker Jr. free throws, but it was a dog fight the rest of the way. With little success from beyond the arc (3-10) and plenty of fouls (11 UTA fouls, 7 UNM fouls), they had to battle it out.

Offensive creativity was still a problem for the Lobos in the first half, as they headed into the locker rooms with just 5 assists. But these types of things can be overlooked when your protecting the ball at an elite level with just 1 turnover in the first twenty minutes of play.

Also of note was the complete takeover of the game by UNM’s backcourt, as Jamal Mashburn Jr. (22 points) and Donovan Dent (16 points) combined for 38 of the Lobos first 48 first half points. The freshman was able to take a frustrating first ten minutes or so of tough contested drives with no foul calls  and turn it into an offensive display in the final ten minutes. Mashburn Jr. made his money from all over the floor, mid-range jumpers, three points & free throw opportunities.

The Mavericks came out swinging in the second-half, shrinking the Lobos double-digit lead to as little as five points in the first five minutes out of half-time. Similar to the first-half the Lobos were taking highly contested shots and creating contact with no benefits to prove for it.

A run of scoring that gave the Lobos their double-digit lead back under the 10-minute mark was consistently chopped at by UT Arlington. As the Mavericks made it a one point game with under 30 seconds to play inside to nearly silence fans inside the Pit. But a clutch defensive effort by Baker on former SEC guard DeJuan Gordon with 15 seconds to play gave the Lobos back possession and a double bonus free throw opportunity.

The sigh of relief was short lived, as a clutch corner three-pointer from UTA freshman Makaih Williams tied things up at 80-80 to send it into overtime.

Things seemed destined for overtime but the Lobos’ superb sophomore guard Donovan Dent had his eyes on the prize.

When asked about how he felt regarding the opponent’s three point shot to tie things up in the closing seconds. He responded with “Pretty mad because it was over me, he hit a tough one but they gave the ball and I just ran with it.”

Indeed he ran with it, ran right to the basket for the game winner.

After the game he had this to say had this to say, cool calm and collected.

“You dream of it as a kid, hitting game winners in college.”

As Dent said, it’s something every kid dreams of, Lobo fans too. And with that buzzer beater, New Mexico has all of the winning momentum needed for their three-game road trip next week.

Player Spotlights

New Mexico G-Donovan Dent

Stat line: 25 points, 5 assists, 22 steals on 11-18 from the floor in 34 minutes

The super sophomore just keeps adding to his legend in Albuquerque with not only a great offensive performance but the winning buzzer beater to give his team the W.

UT Arlington: F-Shemar Wilson

Stat line: 29 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks on 11-13 from the floor & 7-9 from the FT line in 34 minutes

Wilson played big down low for the Mavericks Thursday night. As his fellow UTA stars were relatively quiet until the second-half. He also owned the glass when it came to offensive rebounds and second chance tip ins as a big reason his team stayed in this one in order to take it down to the wire.

Five Takeaways

  • This team really needed a win helped by improved team chemistry. The Lobos have looked out of sync in their first two games of the season and even though the assist totals weren’t there, the lack of turnovers and obvious offensive rhythm found in the first half was a sight for sore eyes.
  • Donovan Dent continues to embrace his new role as Mashburn Jr.’s scoring No. 2 and Pitino’s new floor general. His confidence is showing but his go to move of driving to the lane, drawing contact and heading to the charity stripe only yielded three FT attempts all game. He needs to learn to finish most of those opportunities to truly elevate his game to all-conference status.
  • Mashburn Jr. separated himself as the best player on the court with a beautiful 22-point performance in just the first half. Scoring from all three levels, giving his team the offensive scoring power it needed to head into half time with a double-digit lead they never gave up.
  • The Lobo freshman continue to impress and contribute, mainly JT Toppin in this one. As the 6-9 forward was responsible for numerous house awakening dunks in the first half, to give him 15 points and 11 boards to end the night. Tru Washington also came off of the bench to provide a small offensive spark when needed and defensive stops.
  • New Mexico’s interior defense and defensive rebounding needs work. The Lobos gave up over 20 points to UTA’s Shemar Wilson. Who made his 30 piece by way of second chance points & tip ins around the basket. Going into conference play there are some interior heavy hitters in the Mountain West, they need to address this before it costs them seeding in March.

Next Up:

The Lobos will take their winning momentum on the road next week as they make a trip to Henderson, NV to take part in this year’s Ball Dawg Classic. Their first game of that multi-team event will be against MAC title contenders Toledo on Tuesday November 21st.

New Mexico’s matchup against the Rockets is set to tip-off at 9:15 PM MT. If you wish do so, you can view the stream behind a paywall at FloHoops here ($).

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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New Mexico vs. UT Arlington: Preview, How To Stream, Odds & More

After a road loss to top-25 ranked Saint Mary’s, Richard Pitino’s Lobos return to the Pit and host undefeated UT Arlington.

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New Mexico vs. UT Arlington: Preview

The Lobos look to bounce back at home against the Mavericks.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Richard Pitino’s Lobos return to the Pit and host undefeated UT Arlington.

WHO: New Mexico (1-1, 0-0 in the MWC) vs. UT Arlington (2-0, 0-0 in the SWAC)

WHEN: Thursday, November 16th, 7:00 PM MT, 8:00 PM CT

WHERE: University Arena aka “The Pit”, Albuquerque, NM

STREAM: Mountain West Network

Line: KenPom, The Lobos are favored by 16 Points

College basketball is both beautiful and heartbreaking, take the starts of the last two seasons New Mexico has had for example. Flashback just one year ago and the Lobos were about to embark on a 16-game winning streak as the nation’s last remaining undefeated team.

One year later and the Lobos fell on the road to one of the best mid-major teams in the entire country in the second game of the season. A game likely to be their biggest game of the non-conference season. Tis the nature of college basketball, or sports in general really. They make you feel great when it’s great and crumby when it’s crumby.

But a bad week, game or skid never means all hope is lost. Especially not in the second week in November. So cheer up folks, the story isn’t over, there is still plenty of college basketball to watch in Albuquerque. With the next chapter taking place Thursday the 16th inside the Pit against the UT Arlington Mavericks.

Losing to a top-25 ranked St. Mary’s team hurts the resume no doubt. But it appeared as though New Mexico just wasn’t prepared to take on a team of this caliber or consistency.

The Gaels have been coached by the same coach (Randy Bennett) for over twenty-years and haven’t experienced a sub .500 season since they hired Bennett. The program is an outlier in all levels of college basketball and that consistency/winning cultured showed.

New Mexico on the other hand looked like a team with five returning players who saw action last season, including two starters. Sometimes putting a near entirely new roster together, no matter how talented can be tricky. Throw in unexpected injuries to key players like Jaelen House and Isaac Mushila and your non-conference slate may come with growing pains.

Thursday night the Lobos are hoping to put some of those growing pains in their rear view. When they host undefeated UT Arlington and their first year head coach with an impressive resume as a longtime Assistant Coach in the industry.

UT Arlington Breakdown

The Mavericks are on a path of resurgence with first year Head Coach KT Turner at the helm in Arlington. Turner comes from several of college basketball royalties coaching trees. Having spent time on the staffs of Larry Brown, Shaka Smart, Porter Moser & John Calipari, Turner has picked up a thing or two over the past decade or so.

His hiring by UT Arlington this offseason seemed like a home run for a Mavericks program who hasn’t been to an NCAA Tournament or had a 20-win season since the departure of Scott Cross back in 2018. Turner amassed an impressive recruiting class to go along with several returning contributors from last season.

His gem of that class though Phillip Russell, a high scoring point guard who led his SEMO team to their first big dance since 2000 has been ruled ineligible for the entire season. With his move to UT Arlington being his third as an undergrad.

The Mavericks are instead led by former New Mexico State Aggie DaJuan Gordon and NAIA transfer Akili Vining. With plenty of role players ready to step up if either of those players are having a tough night offensively.

Players to Watch:

G Donovan Dent-New Mexico

After glimpses of talent as a freshman behind one of the best backcourt duos in the nation last year, offseason praise was high for Dent in year two. Lobo fans knew they were looking at their point guard of the future, most would have never guessed the future was week one of his sophomore year.

To his credit he has adapted, averaging team highs in points (13.5 PPG), assists (5.5 APG) & steals (2.0 SPG) as coach Pitino’s point guard. UT Arlington is another perfect test for the young floor general, a chance for him to develop his scoring and playmaking skills. Both will be needed this season if Jaelen House’s injury becomes an issue.

G DaJuan Gordon-UT Arlington

Gordon would have been a familiar face for Lobo fans as he was apart of the New Mexico State men’s basketball team last season. Folks never got to see the former SEC transfer grace the hardwood of the Pit last season, due to an off the court incident that saw the state’s most hyped hoops rivalry canceled and nearly suspended indefinitely.

Now, fans inside the Pit will get their chance to watch the 6-5 195 graduate transfer who is leading his team in nearly all categories, 19.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG & 3.0 SPG in two contests.

A breakout game for Gordon could propel UT Arlington to the upset, coach Pitino needs to find the right defensive matchup to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Keys to the Game

For New Mexico: Halt 3-point shooting, Maximize their own 3-point shooting & Own the glass

One thing New Mexico has to do on Thursday night is crash the boards. The Mavericks boast a long and athletic starting five, one that is averaging 51.5 RPG (9th nationally). Yes it’s early in the season to be looking at averages, but the statistic on a box score is impressive nonetheless.

UT Arlington may have a great rebounding core but in the first two games of their season they’ve made plenty of their money from beyond the arc. The Lobos will have to defend the perimeter while knocking down their own shots on the other end help create separation from a quality Mavericks squad.

Prediction: New Mexico 85, UT Arlington 72

If the Lobos can receive a variety of scoring from their still gelling roster, winning should be a breeze. Yes, there will be high major length and athleticism on the opposing squad but the Lobos deep roster should be the prevailing factor for a double-digit win.

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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