NEW MEXICO GAME NOTES | BOISE STATE GAME NOTES | MOUNTAIN WEST RELEASE | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team (15-10, 8-4 MW) will look for its second win over the Boise State Broncos (17-9. 8-5 MW) in WisePies Arena Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
The Lobos returned to their winning ways over the weekend, sealing a regular season sweep of the San Jose State Spartans, 74-58. The Lobos held the opposition to 30.4 percent shooting from the field in one of the team’s strongest defensive performances of the conference season. Elijah Brown scored 21 points while Tim Williams scored 16, finishing a week in which he shot 80 percent from the floor.
They take that win into a rematch with Boise State that feels very similar to their first game on Jan. 30. With a half game separating the two teams, the winner will sit in sole possession of second place in the Mountain West Conference, as the Lobos did after defeating the Broncos, 88-83. The Lobos took down the Broncos in the Taco Bell Arena while shooting 56 percent (28-for-56) overall and 50 percent (8-for-16) from 3-point range.
The Broncos looked to be a contender for the regular season title early in the season, but have played through a rough patch recently. The team’s loss to the Lobos was part of four losses in five games for the Broncos. After a controversial double-overtime loss to Colorado State, Boise State returned to the win column Saturday against Wyoming, 94-71.
Be Kind Teddy Bear Drive:
The University of New Mexico men’s basketball program will once again partner up with UNM Hospitals on Wednesday. Outside WisePies Arena prior to the game, the Lobos will hold a Be Kind Teddy Bear drive. UNM Hospitals and the athletic department will collect teddy bears and later distribute them at the UNM Children’s Hospital.
The Coaches:
Head coach Craig Neal holds a career record of 57-33 for a winning percentage of .633 over three seasons. He is looking to finish in the top two in the Mountain West for the second time in his first three seasons, a feat only matched by Steve Alford, Norm Ellenberger and Bob King. Leon Rice is in the midst of his sixth season as the head coach of Boise State. In his previous five seasons with Boise State, he has led the Broncos to the NCAA Tournament twice and won 20 games four times.
The Series:
The Lobos hold a record of 7-3 overall against the Broncos in a series that dates back to the spring of 2012. The two teams had never faced each other prior to Boise State joining the Mountain West Conference for the 2011-12 season. The Lobos are 3-1 at home against the Broncos, with all four games being played inside WisePies Arena. Last season marked the first time Boise State had won a game in Albuquerque. The average margin of victory for the Lobos in the three wins is 11.7 points.
Broadcast Information:
The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network. The broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. MST. 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.