Dec. 9, 2009
Wednesday: Lobos (8-0) at San Diego (4-5), 8 p.m.
On The Air: My50 TV; 770-AM KKOB
Online: GameTracker, stats, game story on GoLobos.com
Up Next: Lobos at Texas A&M, 4 p.m., Saturday
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
There are many little things that help basketball teams win on the road, but one thing Lobo coach Steve Alford likes to do is make an early statement.
He likes his Lobos to play toe-to-toe and eye-to-eye and let the enemy know that they have no real advantage in this game simply because it’s their floor and, mostly, their fans.
“If you can get ten minutes into the game and not allow the home team to feel that they are home, I think that’s a big key,” said Alford.
Of course, the key to that message is the scoreboard. If the home team glances up and sees the Lobos hanging around — or winning — that home court advantages loses some of its power.
The 8-0 University of New Mexico Lobos have been on the road twice in forming that unblemished mark, but ten minutes into those road games, Alford’s Lobos had made a statement.
At New Mexico State, the Lobos were up six points near the ten-minute mark and up 16 at the half.
At Hawaii, the Lobos were up by a single point near the ten-minute mark and down only a point at halftime. At the University of San Diego, Alford wants to establish that same “no fear” statement from his Lobos.
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“You have to make sure you go on the road and make sure your opponent knows you are there and make sure your own team knows they are there,” said Alford.
“When you get rocked from the beginning, I think it really effects both sides — negatively for you. I think your team kind of hangs their heads a little bit and the other team feels they are really playing at home.”
In The Pit, the Lobos have made firm statements that this is Lobo turf. UNM was up 17 at half over Cal Riverside, up 12 at half over Nicholls State, up five at the half vs. La-Tech, up 24 over Miami, up one over Cal, and up 23 at half for the NMSU Aggies’ visit to The Pit.
Of course, talent and experience have something to do with how you handle road pressure. Cal was experience and very good. The Lobos’ 8-0 mark says they are very good, but this is still one of the youngest teams in D-I ball.
It’s probably a good thing for these young Lobos to get off to a good start at San Diego.
The 4-5 Toreros probably won’t be found in the Sweet 16 this year, but they are at home and they have some talent at the guard spots. The Lobos won at San Diego 57-54 a year ago with a more experienced UNM team. The Lobos won that game doing something Alford also likes to see home and away: playing defense.
UNM held San Diego to 27.3 percent shooting and took away some of that home court advantage by leading the Toreros 34-29 at the half.
“Road games are tough,” said Lobo senior Roman Martinez and that is an accurate statement. But Alford’s Lobos have a winning record on the road at 16-13. That’s not an easy mark to come by. Here’s some perspective: UNM was 14-60 on the road in the seven seasons before Alford.
San Diego’s strength is on the perimeter behind 6-foot Brandon Johnson’s 15.6 scoring average and 6-2 DeJon Jackson’s 11.9 points per game. Johnson was benched for disciplinary reasons, but is expected to play against UNM. The Lobos play good perimeter defense (most of the time) and San Diego isn’t a team that should hurt you badly inside.
They go 6-7 and 6-5 inside, so the Lobos will have a height advantage and those two inside Toreros combine for only 9.4 points per game.
“They have very good guards,” said Alford. “They have some guys who can hurt you inside, but they are not an overly big team. They are a team that understands how to win.”
The Lobos follow up their San Diego trip with a 4 p.m., tip Saturday at Texas A&M. The Lobos are receiving votes in national polls and a two-game sweep this week could nudge a 10-0 Lobo team into the Top 25.
Alford said December accolades aren`t as important as what comes down in March, but admits that it always helps your program to get national exposure.
“It`s probably more of a fan thing and a player thing than a coach thing,” said Alford. “It`s always more fun to call a recruit when you are 8-and-0. But we`re getting on national websites now. I think those things all mean a great deal to your program.”
Martinez said national exposure is nice, but that the Lobos have things that are more important on their minds. “Like winning at San Diego,” said the wise senior.