Jan. 16, 2012
New Mexico Lobos Men’s Basketball – In The Pit
Wednesday: 8 p.m., San Diego State at New Mexico Lobos
On The Air CBS Sports Net (TV); 770-AM KKOB/Lobo Radio Network
GoLobos.com: Game Story, Stats, GameTracker, LoboTV
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
The adage “it doesn’t get any better than this,” strikes twice for Steve Alford’s Lobos this week. First, it’s a Wednesday battle with No.16/16 San Diego State. Second, it’s a Saturday trip to No. 14/20 UNLV.
The first game might hold closer to the roots of that phrase for Lobo fans because the shootout between Lobos and Aztecs takes place live in The Pit. The Aztecs also are coming off a slap down of then-No. 12 UNLV.
This is a high-level game with high-level significance full of high-level athletes coached by high-level coaches.
But for Alford, it’s just the next game: “When you start adding importance and start putting a bigger emphasis on games, then you start setting yourself up,” said the Lobo coach. “We take one game at a time.”
Well, that strategy works perfectly for Wednesday. The No. 16 Aztecs are the next game. The only thing hotter than the action on the court might be a ticket to see this expected Pit Classic.
The Aztecs are on a roll. The Lobos are on a roll. Just like it was in Laramie when an 11-0 Wyoming home streak clashed with a 12-game New Mexico win streak – somebody and something has to give. That’s how it was when Vegas went to SDSU, too.
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MW STANDINGS |
The Cowboys and the Rebels were the teams that buckled. The Rebs, just barely, on a running, leaning, falling, 5-footer tossed up by Aztec Jamaal Franklin through a sea of Rebel arms. His shot was almost short. Almost.
The Cowboys went down more decisively, as UNM rolled out of Laramie on an impressive 10-point win formed by good offense, good defense and a deep New Mexico bench.
The thing about Wednesday’s game is this: The Aztecs are better, more talented and quicker than Cowboys. “They are a very aggressive team, very athletic,” said Alford.
Another thing about Wednesday’s game is this: It’s a Pit game. Bring your ear plugs! This will not be a place for the faint in heart.
A third thing about Wednesday’s visit by the Aztecs is you have to be thankful for the Aztecs. Muhammad Ali’s greatness was measured by the greatness of his enemies: Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston. David needed Goliath.
Great basketball games are formed by two great teams dancing at a high level on a stage glistening with importance. It’s not do-or-die for either team, but this is high-level hoops.
Lobo Coach Steve Alford |
The Aztecs are good. Just ask the UNLV Rebs, who marched into San Diego with a No. 12 ranking and this week have dropped into the No. 14 and No. 20 slots.
The Aztecs might be a bit of a surprise, but maybe not really. They are coached by Steve Fisher, a national Coach of The Year. They are loaded with athletic bodies – just like Vegas and just like New Mexico.
“The Aztecs are not a team that (people) thought would be here,” Aztec Chase Tapley was quoted as saying in the San Diego Union Tribune. “But we’re going to be one of the top teams in the nation.”
Actually, the Aztecs already are one of the top teams in the nation. They soared to No. 16 in both The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Aztecs talk about their culture of winning and that doesn’t appear to be simply talk. They lost four starters from their Sweet 16 team of 2011 and while the 2012 Aztecs might not have the sheer talent or muscle of that team, they are still winning in a big way – just more from the edge than in the paint.
Sure, the Aztecs took advantage of their home court in beating the Rebels, and that’s the same thing the Lobos will try to do on Wednesday. The Pit should be a mad house. But if you beat the Aztecs on your home court, it’s still a big deal, just like it was for Aztecs to beat Rebels in San Diego. In the Mountain West, you need to hold serve (win at home).
The Aztec win over UNLV was impressive because the Rebels are loaded. UNLV returns nine lettermen from 2010-11 and this is the team that knocked North Carolina out of the No. 1 spot in the national polls. The Rebs were focused to snap a five-game losing skid to SDSU and they couldn’t do it.
There were lots of reason the Aztecs won this game, but a huge reason was Aztec defense. The Aztecs held UNLV to its lowest shooting percentage of the season – 28.6 percent in the first half and 35 percent overall.
The Aztec’s strategy vs. UNLV was to take away Rebel drives and entice the Rebs to gun from afar. The Rebs missed 22 of their first 26 shots. They went 8-of-27 from the 3-point line. They went 11-of-21 from the charity stripe. “We took a calculated risk and it paid off,” said SDSU Associate Head Coach Brian Dutcher.
The Rebels got better as the game drifted to its conclusion, shot better, turned up the desperation-fueled intensity, but the Aztecs held on.
As UNLV coach Dave Rice put it, the Aztecs “made one more play that we did.” Yep, that’s sometimes what big games come down to. Oklahoma State made one more field goal than Stanford.
If the Lobos can make one more play than the Aztecs on Wednesday, then Lobo fans and Lobo Coach Steve Alford probably will be happy. However, it’s unlikely that SDSU will give up the perimeter to these Lobo gunners like the Aztecs did with UNLV. These Lobos are shooters.
Until we find out which teams make the most plays on Wednesday, just be happy that the Aztecs are coming to town and that they are exceptional, on a roll, and ranked.
It really takes two teams to make a Pit game and Wednesday the duo is dynamic. It’s Goliath vs. Goliath.
Lobo Louie |
NEW MEXICO LOBOS 2011-12 ROSTER/STATISICS
| Possible Starters | HT | Position | Season Statistics |
21 – Tony Snell6-7Wing13.4 Pts. – 3.2 Rebs
32 – Drew Gordon6-9Post12.4 Pts. – 10.5 Rebs.
10 – Kendall Williams6-3Guard11.7 Pts. – 4.4 Asts..
13 – Jamal Fenton5-9Guard7.4 Pts. – 2.6 Asts.
00 – A.J. Hardeman6-8Forward4.4 Pts. – 4.0 Rebs.
| The NM Bench | HT | Position | Season Statistics |
40 – Demetrius Walker6-2Guard7.8 Pts. – 2.8 Rebs.
03 – Hugh Greenwood6-3Guard6. 3 Pts. – 2.8 Asts.
04 – Chad Adams6-6Wing3.9 Pts. – 1.4 Rebs.
23 – Phillip McDonald6-5Guard5.7 Pts. – 1.5 Rebs.
41 – Cameron Bairstow6-9Post3.8 Pts. – 3.6 Rebs.
05 – Dominique Dunning6-4Guard2.0 Pts. – 1.3 Rebs.
02 – Chris Perez6-1Guard0.6 Pts. – 0.0 Rebs.