NEW MEXICO GAME NOTES | WYOMING GAME NOTES | MOUNTAIN WEST RELEASE | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team (10-7, 3-1 MW) returns to WisePies Arena Saturday to host the Wyoming Cowboys (9-9, 2-3 MW) at 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
The Lobos will look to stretch their strong start to 4-1, keeping pace with the top of the Mountain West Conference. Last time out, New Mexico was handed its first loss on the road at UNLV. However, they return to their home floor, where the team is 8-1 this year including conference wins over Nevada and Utah State.
New Mexico’s 3-1 start has come on the merit of strong perimeter defense, efficient shooting and an entertaining pace of play. Playing at the fastest pace in the conference, 73.8 possessions per game, the Lobos are leading the league in field goal percentage at 46.9 percent. On the other end, the Lobos are holding teams to 30.3 percent shooting from outside, 19.6 percent during conference play.
Wyoming enters Saturday’s game with a much different style of play. The Cowboys will try and slow the Lobos down, averaging nearly 10 possessions less this season. The Cowboys have emphasized getting back on defense immediately to prevent the transition offense that the Lobos thrive on. In turn, Wyoming’s 17.9 offensive rebounding percentage ranks as the second lowest in the nation.
The Coaches:
Head coach Craig Neal has led the Lobos to their second 3-1 start to conference play in three years. That mark is the second best in program history, only being topped once by the 2012-13 Lobos, in which Neal served as the associate head coach for. Larry Shyatt is in the midst of his sixth season as head coach for Wyoming. He previously coached at Clemson, and has led Wyoming to 112 wins since taking over the Cowboy program.
The Series:
This will be the 133rd meeting in the long history of the New Mexico Wyoming series. Dating back to the 1950-51 season, it is the third longest series in New Mexico basketball history. The Lobos have only played New Mexico State and UTEP more often. All-time, the Lobos hold a thin advantage at 67-65. However, New Mexico has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the two, despite the fact that the last four matchups have gone to overtime.
Broadcast Information:
The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network. The broadcast will begin at 2 p.m. Fans can find CBSSN on Comcast channels 274/838 (HD), DISH channel 158 and DirecTV channel 221.
For fans tuning in on the radio, Robert Portnoy will give the play-by-play action alongside analyst and Lobo great Hunter Greene on 770 KKOB, the flagship station of the New Mexico Lobos. This feed will also be available via the TuneIn Radio App.