Tag: Mountain West Basketball

UNLV vs. Colorado State: Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The UNLV Rebels head to Fort Collins to face the Colorado State Rams in Mountain West play. Here’s what to look for in this matchup.

UNLV vs. Colorado State: Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams and Rebels face off for momentum

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Can the Rams open conference play strong?

WHO: UNLV Rebels (9-7, 2-2 Mountain West) vs. Colorado State Rams (14-3, 2-2 Mountain West)

WHEN: Friday, January 19th — 8:30 p.m. MST / 7:30 p.m. PST

WHERE: Moby Arena; Fort Collins, CO (8,083)

TV: Fox Sports 1 (Stream FS1 on Fubo and click the link here for a free trial)

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 65th all time matchup between the two schools. UNLV leads the all-time series 43-21

LAST MEETING: UNLV won 83-71 in Fort Collins last year

ODDS: Colorado State -7.5

It’s hard to call this early of a matchup a must win, but it feels like a must win for both teams. Colorado State needs to get back into their early season groove. And UNLV needs to continue riding their momentum if they want to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

CSU is hosting their annual Orange Out game coming off a double digit comeback win over Air Force. UNLV is heading to Fort Collins coming off a four point road win over Boise State. Both KenPom and the NET rankings have a similar distance between these two schools, but in conference play anything can happen.

Players to Watch

G Dedan Thomas Jr – UNLV

The Rebels floor general who seems like an even keeled player. Never too up and never too down. Even when Dedan is having a down game, he’s helping in other areas. Incredible vision on the court for the freshman and his teammates surely appreciate it.

F Joel Scott – Colorado State

The big man down low for the Rams. Joel Scott is another D2 transfer for the Rams who is playing a big part. He has a tendency to disappear at times and the Rams need him to step up tonight to keep the lengthy Rebels in check. Scott has shown he can play at a high level and the Rams need him to play like that tonight.

Keys to the Game

UNLV

Play physical basketball is the main key for the Rebels. The Rams have a tendency to play soft and forcing their hand can yield results. The Rebels also need to take advantage of the CSU misplays. CSU throws an unnecessary amount of skip passes and all UNLV has to do is pay attention and they can jump the pass.

On offense, keep the Rams switching. They’ll get tired and eventually miss a switch or recover too late. Getting down low needs to play a big part of the plan for UNLV. The Rams aren’t that big and if you can back them down, lay ups and passouts for open threes will be there.

Colorado State

Play your game. That’s what the Rams need to do tonight. They can’t let UNLV dictate the pace or action of the game. Take over the game and force the Rebels to play to you. CSU has a tendency to let the other team dictate how the game goes, but the Rams need to force it tonight.

The bench, other than Joe Palmer, needs to step up. Palmer gets his off the bench and he needs someone else to join him. If the Rams bench can take a little pressure of the starters, CSU is going to have a smooth day.

Predictions

This is a matchup of two similar teams. They have very similar stats. And the only real difference is the overall records. Basketball is a game of runs and both teams will go on big runs tonight. The back and forth battle will go the full 40 minutes before the Rams take it in the end.

Final Score: Colorado State 87, UNLV 81

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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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New Mexico blows out No. 19 San Diego State, 88-70

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. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The Lobos received a team effort to put away top-25 ranked Aztecs at …

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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.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

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.

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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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Preview: Can HC Tim Miles lead SJSU to a winning record in Mountain West play?

Can HC Tim Miles lead SJSU to a winning record against MW opponents with robust NIL presences in order to notch a postseason appearance?

Preview: Can HC Tim Miles lead SJSU to winning record in Mountain West play?

Can SJSU finish .500 against MW opponents with robust NIL presences in order to notch a postseason appearance?

Follow @Mattweiner20 & @MWCwire

“You either adapt or die”

WHO: San Jose State Spartans (7-6) vs. Wyoming (7-6)

WHEN: Tuesday, January 2nd — 7:30 p.m. CST / 5:30 p.m. PST

WHERE: Arena-Auditorium; Laramie, Wyo (8,083)

TV: Mountain West Network (Stream on the Mountain West Network)

ODDS: Wyoming -5

As San Jose State men’s basketball opens conference play tonight against Wyoming, head coach Tim Miles now faces a question that’s loomed large since the preseason: Can SJSU repeat last year’s success without an NIL presence and reigning Mountain West Player of the Year Omari Moore?

“You either adapt or die,” SJSU head coach Tim Miles told The Spear last October.

Mar 4, 2023; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; San Jose State Spartans guard Omari Moore (10) gestures in the second half against the Air Force Falcons at Clune Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

At 7-6, the definition of “repeating last year’s success” has been slightly tempered to making back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time ever. In order to do that SJSU must win nine of its 18 conference games. 12 of those 18 games come against teams with a higher NET ranking. Just so happens that nearly all of those teams have an NIL presence the Spartans only hope to achieve one day. 

According to the SF Chronicle, Colorado State, Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico, Boise State, San Diego State and UNLV each have collectives that have reported annual NIL budgets for men’s basketball over $400,000. Miles, meanwhile, watched recruits immediately “wig out” on Zoom calls when he mentioned he couldn’t offer NIL money. 

Prior to an upset over crosstown rival Santa Clara on Dec. 20, finishing .500 in conference play for the second time since 2000 was daunting. SJSU was fresh off an 86-75 loss to Montana where its defense was reliably unreliable. “We just got hurt inside,” Miles said following the defeat. “But that’s not new news.” 

Miles entered the 2023-24 season well-aware of how the Spartans’ inexperienced front court could be detrimental to the team’s success. How could he not? Freshman forward Diogo “DJ” Seixas and sophomore forward William Humer had no prior Division I experience. The team’s prized 2023 recruit in sophomore Washington State transfer Adrame Diongue averaged 1.3 points and 1.8 boards in six minutes per game in Pullman. 

This stress was only heightened when Miles announced SJSU forward Robert Vaihola, the Mountain West leader in offensive rebounds a year ago, would be out for the year with a foot injury. 

With the departures of Vaihola’s front court counterparts in Sage Tolbert (graduated) and Ibrahima Diallo who “transferred to Central Florida this past June for $160,000 in NIL money,” according to that same SF Chronicle article, SJSU’s new rotation could be a deterrent to winning conference games. 

A “deterrent” but not a complete obstruction. 

At least senior forward Trey Anderson was rapidly evolving into a trustworthy three-point shooter and defender at the start of the season. 

Then he sustained a “significant knee sprain” on Dec. 4 in an overtime loss to North Dakota State – SJSU’s third straight at the time. 

The streak ended at three when SJSU used a late-surge to beat New Orleans (then ranked in the bottom 300 of the NET). But the thrill of the win and junior guard MJ Amey’s season-high 29 points was quickly forgotten when SJSU followed it up with that aforementioned loss to Montana at home on Dec. 17.

If SJSU was outrebounded 44-24 and allowed Montana forward Laolu Oke to go for 16 points and 15 rebounds, how could it handle an eight-game stretch in January that features Wyoming’s Sam Griffin (18.3 points per game), San Diego State’s Jaedon Ladee who leads the Mountain West with 21.3 points and is tied for the league lead in rebounds (9.2). Furthermore, the guy Ladee’s tied with – Utah State’s Great Osobor – will be hosting SJSU in Logan to end the month. 

By that point, if SJSU ends the month at 3-5 or 2-6, there’s little chance it can make up enough ground to clinch that prized .500 record. In consequence, it’ll reinforce the narrative that SJSU’s paltry financial state isn’t conducive to long term success. No coach since 1966 has finished with a winning record. Even scarier for Miles, since 1938, no SJSU head coach has fulfilled the same duty at a different school for at least two years. Mind you, San Jose is viewed as a stepping stone to a better opportunity for coaches.

As SJSU’s defense struggled, the fear that it would return to its disastrous state was front of mind. Forget the fact SJSU won 20 games for the first time since 1981 last year. The Spartans 10 Mountain West wins eclipsed its conference win total (eight) from the previous five seasons. 

But then came that 81-78 upset over Santa Clara – No. 120 NET ranking –to end non-conference play. Yes, it wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to offer hope. 

 

Amey (team-leading 17 points and nine rebounds) continued his emergence as the team’s leading scorer, SJSU outscored SCU 23-13 in points off turnovers, Humer finished with a +14 and point guard Alvaro Cardenas dished a team-high 10 assists.

When the Spartans upset Santa Clara last year, Miles noticed a growing confidence in each player. Suddenly, they started to believe in themselves a little more and held their chest a little bit higher. That was then parlayed into beating UNLV and Colorado State to start conference play. Until then SJSU had never opened Mountain West play with a win. 

Perhaps tonight’s bout with a struggling Wyoming could signal a repeating trend. 

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New Mexico vs. #13 Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The CSU Rams welcome the New Mexico Lobos to Moby Arena to open conference play. Here’s how the Rams can get MW play started with a win.

New Mexico vs. #13 Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams host their in-state foe

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Can the Rams open conference play strong?

WHO: New Mexico Lobos (12-1) vs. #13 Colorado State Rams (12-1)

WHEN: Tuesday, January 2nd — 8:30 p.m. MST / 7:30 p.m. PST

WHERE: Moby Arena; Fort Collins, CO (8,083)

TV: Fox Sports 1 (Stream FS1 on Fubo and click the link here for a free trial)

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 132nd all time matchup between the two schools. New Mexico leads the all-time series 79-52

LAST MEETING: Colorado State won 92-84 in Fort Collins last season.

ODDS: Colorado State -2.5

A big matchup to open Mountain West play on Tuesday for both Colorado State and New Mexico. The Rams are looking to keep the pressure on everyone else and the Lobos are looking for the road upset in Fort Collins.

Both teams are 12-1 coming into this matchup, however they’ve both gotten there in very different ways. New Mexico is 35th in both KenPom and NET, their SOS is ranked 198th by KenPom and their best win by NET rankings is a 13 point road win over UC Irvine. Colorado State is 30th in KenPom and 15th in NET, their SOS is ranked 52nd by KenPom and their best win by NET rankings is a 21 point neutral site win over, then 8th ranked, Creighton.

Players to Watch

F Jaelen House – New Mexico

Only the third leading scorer for the Lobos, House makes his impact all over the court. House is a hound on defense and will be all over his assignment in Fort Collins. He plays a pressure game on both ends of the floor and is a key reason why the Lobos force as many turnovers as they do.

G Isaiah Stevens – Colorado State

The Rams leader on and off the court. And now the all time leading scorer for Colorado State. As Stevens goes, the Rams go. Yes, the Rams have more depth this year. But Stevens still puts everything into motion. He finds those little spaces and leaves everything on the court.

Keys to the Game

Offensively

Take care of the basketball. The Rams have the 2nd ranked assist to turnover ratio in the country at 2.1. New Mexico is 15th in the nation in steals with 10 per game and and 16th in the nation with 16.31 turnovers forced per game. The Rams need to take care of the basketball in this one.

Keep moving the ball around. This along with taking care of the basketball will be the main keys for the Rams offense. CSU throws too many skip passes and it can cost them against New Mexico. The Rams need to keep moving the ball, but they can’t be careless with their passes.

Defensively

New Mexico is ranked 26th in the nation in Free Throw attempts per game at 24.5. However, they don’t convert those FTs as much as they should; ranking just 282nd in the nation at 67.08% from the line. The Rams need to play controlled defense and keep their hands up.

The Lobos like to drive the ball as evidenced by their large amount of FTs per game. They don’t shoot many three point shots and they only make them just over a third of the time. The Rams will need to use their length to stay in front of the Lobos, clog the passing lanes, and force New Mexico to shoot from the outside.

Predictions

This is going to be a close one. CSU shoots at a 53.2% clip and the Lobos only allow teams to make shots at a 39.8% clip. The Rams won’t have a full complient of players and that will be the biggest challenge for them. This will be a back and forth battle, but the home court advantage that a loud Moby Arena provides will be the difference maker in the end for the Rams.

Final Score: Colorado State 84, New Mexico 80

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Net Rankings Update: Most MWC Teams Slip, New Mexico & Others Rise

Net Rankings Update: Most MWC Teams Slip, New Mexico Rises Lobos shine in a tough week for the Mountain West. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire After a tough week in the college basketball landscape, several Mountain West slide and others …

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Net Rankings Update: Most MWC Teams Slip, New Mexico Rises

Lobos shine in a tough week for the Mountain West.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

After a tough week in the college basketball landscape, several Mountain West slide and others rise. 

After a flattering and impressive first edition of the NET Rankings were released last week, fans around the Mountain West were likely feeling giddy. With a team in the top-ten, four more in the top-50 and more teams in the top-36 than any other conference aside from the Big 12. It felt as though the conference was finally getting the respect it deserved while separating itself from other mid-majors.

That feeling should still be very alive in fans hearts. As the Mountain West is ranked just behind the six high major conferences in KenPom’s current rankings. With an adjusted efficiency margin of nearly double their closest competitors.

So, as any longtime fan can tell you, setbacks do happen. It doesn’t feel great when the conferences leading programs slide down the rankings a bit after what can be considered hard fought losses. But there is still plenty to be hopeful for.

There are still four teams in the top-50 and one just outside of it. Including five teams whose ranks have risen in the last seven days. Not to mention Fresno State’s recent rise, which means no Mountain West team is outside of the top-240.

How It Works

The NET is the NCAA metric and it gives the selection committee a better idea of team’s performances. The new NET ranking’s metrics, shrank from five to just two in 2020, two years after it’s debut in 2018.

Team Value Index-Algorithm set up to reward teams who beat other good teams. Results-oriented component of the N.E.T. *Game results versus Division-I opponents only.

Adjusted Net Efficiency-The adjusted efficiency is a team’s net efficiency (offensive efficacy minus defensive efficiency, adjusted for strength of opponent and location (home/away/neutral) across all games played.

Quadrant Ranking System-the quality of wins and losses will be organized based on game location and the opponent’s NET ranking.

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Analyzing the Rankings

Still at the top of all Mountain West teams in week two is Colorado State. The Rams like many others have slipped just a bit down the rankings as of Monday morning.

A two game homestand last week resulted in a close win over Denver and a three-point dagger in the heart by the always tough St. Mary’s on Saturday. The Gaels don’t have the notoriety in the rankings this year as they did in the past, so losses to Randy Bennet’s squad this season hurt twice as much.

Other schools to slip in the top-50 section of the rankings were San Diego State and Nevada. Nevada fell out of the top-50 all together with a tough neutral site loss in nearby Henderson, NV against Drake. The Bulldogs are led by one of the best mid-major stars in the country in Tucker Devries, coached by his father Darian Devries.

It’s not a bad loss by any means, but the Wolf Pack have a very weak strength of schedule at the moment, with their loss to Drake putting them 1-1 against quad 1 opponents.

Albeit they are 6-0 against all other opponents, but all of those were quad 4 wins, meaning the only weight they carry is as wins. Yes a confusing sentence, but when your wins don’t carry much weight, certain losses carry thrice as much. Look at their 31 space drop as a good example of that.

The Aztecs on the other hand had just entered the AP Top-25 before they went on the road against a Grand Canyon team that is making it’s name as the next powerful mid-major. They fell inside GCU Arena on Tuesday, 79-73 in what is classified as a quad 1 loss. But the level of play both teams brought with them to Phoenix cushioned their fall.

Teams outside of the top-50 that experienced a fall were Air Force, San Jose State & UNLV. The Falcons have an impressive record but no quad 1 or 2 wins. Which means their first loss in under a month to Eastern Washington at home this past weekend hurt enough for a 42 space fall.

While the Runnin’ Rebels chance at a resume booster on the road against Dayton last week was postponed due to the tragic shooting that took place on the UNLV campus last week. That followed by a close loss to Loyola Marymount in the Jack Jones Classic are factors in their 17 place drop.

To end on a high note Boise State, Fresno State & Wyoming all rose up the rankings. Joining them were Utah State, who are currently on an 8 game winning streak and New Mexico.

The Lobos became the talk of the mid-major town this past week. As they extended their eight game winning streak with wins over UC Santa Barbara and Santa Clara by combined average margins of 20.0 PPG. Besides garnering national attention for some convincing wins against quality mid-major opponents of late, New Mexico is doing so while showcasing depth no one could have predicted.

It’s a lot to take in and a lot to research but the Mountain West needs another strong week to keep momentum going as the holidays approach.

Mountain West NET Rankings:

16 (7) Colorado State 9-1 (0-0)

24 (36) New Mexico 9-1 (0-0)

29 (24) San Diego State 8-2 (0-0)

31 (34) Utah State 9-1 (0-0)

52 (21) Nevada 7-1 (0-0)

113 (126) Boise State 6-3 (0-0)

160 (118) Air Force 7-3 (0-0)

150 (130) San Jose State 6-5 (0-0)

172 (187) Wyoming 6-3 (0-0)

214 (197) UNLV 3-4 (0-0)

232 (299) Fresno State 5-4 (0-0)

Just one week removed from our NET Rankings Debut update, things have changed. That’s to be expected and part of the game. The word upset is in the dictionary because anyone can beat anyone on any given night. What matters now is how teams bounce back from tough losses and look forward.

As teams around the Mountain West have a little over two weeks left before the end of the colander year and the beginning of conference play, every game counts.

Full List Here

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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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