Dec. 19, 2011
UNM Notes – hosting Montana St 
Kenny Thomas will be honored prior to the game in his return to The Pit.
Football coach Bob Davie will be introduced to the crowd at halftime.
New Mexico Lobos Men’s Basketball – In The Pit
Tuesday: 7 p.m., Montana State (5-5) at New Mexico Lobos (8-2)
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Talk about a “trap game!” The Montana State Bobcats might be walking into one of the more diabolical traps ever set to be sprung on a New Mexico Lobo opponent stepping into The Pit.
First, the Lobos generated a massive snowstorm to make the Bobcats of the snowy North feel right at home in their venture into the Southwest.
Second, the Bobcats probably figure most of the Lobo fans will not want to venture over to The Pit because of all that strange white stuff on the ground. The `Cats of Montana probably figure the place will be near empty and that famous Pit advantage will be chilled a bit.
Wrong! This is Lobo basketball. Throw it up and they will come. The Lobos’ sixth man will be there in force, but will leave the snowballs outside.
OK, we’ll admit the Lobos didn’t arrange for the wintery weather. However, the Bobcats probably will feel all warm and cozy looking at the snow-covered Sandia Mountains that surely will remind these Montana `Cats of the mountains that sweep around Bozeman.
So, feel at home, Bobcats – and then look out. The trap will be sprung.
The 8-2 Lobos are coming off maybe their two most impressive wins of the season – a 44-41 win at Southern Cal and a 66-56 win over Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City. The Lobos played well down the stretches of both games and did the things necessary to win on a road.
Now, the Lobos are at home in The Pit where they love to rock & roll for their fans. The Pit also likes to rock & roll for their Lobos.
The Lobos and the Bobcats have never played before, but Montana State got a taste of The Pit in 1996 when they lost to the Syracuse Orangemen in the NCAA first round.
The Bobcats won’t slow a game’s pace to the snail walk enjoyed by USC, but the `Cats probably won’t want to run & gun with the Lobos in The Pit – or at least not allow the Lobos to run much.
Montana does average 75.9 points a game, which is higher than UNM’s 69.5 average.
UNM has been held under 70 points in three of their last four games, but ride a six-game win streak at the visitors from Bozeman. The win streak has been aided by holding six straight UNM opponents to 62 points or under.
Montana State has one player in double figures in Xavier Blount with a 12.5 average. Jamie Steward clocks in with a 9.7 average and Rod Singleton scores at a 9.5 clip. Blount played at Albuquerque’s Highland High where he teammed with Lobo Chad Adams.
The Bobcats’ last outing was a visit to Malibu, Calif., where the `Cats obviously were chilled by the Pepperdine weather. Montana State shot 28 percent from the floor and scored only 36 points while allowing 59 points. The Bobcats shot 1-of-10 from behind the line and didn’t crack the 20-point mark in either half
Montana State probably won’t find the Lobo defense any softer. Coach Steve Alford has stressed defensive improvement and that improvement was obvious in clutch time at USC and against Oklahoma State.
The Pepperdine score might mark the `Cats as easy prey for UNM – and maybe so. But Montana State was respectable and competitive in a 78-72 loss at Arizona State, where UNM won 76-71. If the `Cats can shoot well and compete on the boards, they have a chance to hang with UNM in The Pit.
The Lobos still are paced in scoring by sophomore Tony Snell, but Kendall Williams and Drew Gordon – the two targeted Lobos heading into the season – are drawing closer.
Williams has an 11.4 average and Gordon is at 11.1. Gordon has a double-double average as he pulls down 10.6 boards per game. He is coming off a colossal 20-board effort vs. Oklahoma State.
Freshman starter Hugh Greenwood averages 6.5 points and 3.0 assists. UNM’s is getting consistent scoring off the bench from Demetrius Walker (8.0), Cameron Bairstow (4.9) and Jamal Fenton (5.2).
The Bobcats entered the 2011-12 season with one returning starter (Singleton) and were hoping to quickly blend in five transfers and three true freshmen. Montana State did return seven lettermen off last year’s 14-17 bench.
Blount transferred to Montana State from Cochise JC in Arizona where he was a second-team NJCAA All-American after averaging 22.2 points while shooting 41.5 percent from behind the line. He played at Highland High and also Hope Christian High in Albuquerque.
Coach Steve Alford |
NEW MEXICO LOBOS 2011-12 ROSTER/STATISICS
| Possible Starters | HT | Position | Season Statistics |
21 – Tony Snell6-7Wing12.3 Pts. – 3.1 Rebs
32 – Drew Gordon6-9Post11.1 Pts. – 10.6 Rebs.
10 – Kendall Williams6-3Guard11.4 Pts. – 4.5 Asts..
03 – Hugh Greenwood6-3Guard6.5 Pts. – 2.9 Asts.
00 – A.J. Hardeman6-8Forward4.4 Pts. – 4.4Rebs.
| The NM Bench | HT | Position | Season Statistics |
40 – Demetrius Walker6-2Guard8.0 Pts. – 2.7 Rebs.
13 – Jamal Fenton5-9Guard5.2 Pts. – 1.5 Asts.
04 – Chad Adams6-6Wing3.1 Pts. – 1.3 Rebs.
23 – Phillip McDonald6-5Guard3.7 Pts. – 1.6 Rebs.
41 – Cameron Bairstow6-9Post4.9 Pts. – 3.8 Rebs.
05 – Dominique Dunning6-4Guard1.0 Pts. – 1.0 Rebs.
02 – Chris Perez6-1Guard0.0 Pts. – 0.0 Rebs.