Lobos Face Utah State For Game Two Wednesday
New Mexico vs Utah State
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019 – 9 p.m. MT
Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (Capacity: 10,270)
TV: ESPNU (Dish 141, DirecTV 208)
Radio: 770 KKOB-AM
UNM NOTES | USU NOTES | LISTEN | LIVE STATS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team heads to Logan, Utah on Wednesday to take on tied-for-second-place Utah State on the road. Last time the Lobos met the Aggies in The Pit, Utah State claimed a two-point victory with 1.8 seconds left after a costly backcourt turnover.
UNM (11-14, 5-8 MW) enters Wednesday’s game coming off of a tough matchup with tied-for-second-place Fresno State at home on Saturday. The Lobos lost a halftime lead for an eventual eight-point deficit, 81-73.
Utah State (20-6, 10-3 MW) is tied with Fresno State for second in the league standings and has won two of its last three matchups, nine of its last 10. The Aggies are coming off of a 76-62 victory over Air Force on Saturday on the road.
UNM is led by three players averaging in double figures in conference play including senior Anthony Mathis (15.2), redshirt-sophomore Vance Jackson (14.3) and redshirt-junior Carlton Bragg (10.5).
Jackson scored a career-high 30 points on Wednesday against Fresno State marking the first time a Lobo has done so since Feb. 21, 2017.
Mathis, in addition to being ranked seventh in the nation in 3-point field goals per game (3.64) and 11th in total 3-point field goals made (91), he is also 13th in the country in free-throw percentage (89.0). In fact, he has made his last 13 consecutive free throws and posted a stretch as long as 25 straight earlier this season.
Utah State is led by junior Sam Merrill who averages 20.4 points per Mountain West contest, followed by freshman Neemias Queta (12.8) and redshirt-freshman Brock Miller (10.5).
SERIES HISTORY
The Aggies lead the series 24-11 overall including a 13-2 advantage in Logan.
Last time the two squads met, UNM nearly pulled off the upset inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit, leading by one with 37 seconds left. A backcourt call forced a turnover back to the Aggies with 31 seconds left and, after running out the clock, USU’s Abel Porter hit a three for the eventual win with 1.8 seconds left for the 68-66 final. The Mountain West later issued a statement that the backcourt call on UNM was incorrect.
The last time the Lobos claimed a win in Logan was on Jan. 10, 2015 when UNM won 66-60.
THE COACHES
Head coach Paul Weir is 30-29 in his second season with the Lobos, 58-35 in his third season as a head coach. Utah State head coach Craig Smith is 20-6 in his first season at the helm of the Aggies and in his career.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Wednesday’s game will be available to watch on ESPNU (Dish 141, DirecTV 208). Fans can also follow live via live stats (click here) or listen in on the radio LIVE. Robert Portnoy and former Lobo Hunter Greene will be on the call on 770 KKOB-AM (click here to listen).