Lobos to Open Mountain West Play at Boise State Monday

New Mexico at Boise State
Game 1: Monday, Dec. 21, 2020 – 7:30 p.m. MT 
ExtraMile Arena (Capacity: 12,380)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team is set to kick off Mountain West play on Monday, Dec. 21 in its first conference series of the season at Boise State. The Lobos will play game one on Monday at 7:30 p.m. MT on FS1.

UNM enters Monday’s game 3-0 on the season including a pair of back-to-back 30+ point victories. Monday’s contest will mark UNM’s second NCAA Division I competition of the season.

Boise State, selected in the league’s preseason poll to finish second this season, is 4-1 with four NCAA Division I opponents and one NAIA institution. The Broncos opened with a 68-58 loss at No. 17 Houston before going on a four-win streak. The streak includes a 74-70 win at BYU and a 70-59 victory over Weber State.

Both the Lobos and the Broncos have had a player eclipse 1,000 career points so far this short season. UNM’s Makuach Maluach became the 35th member of the UNM 1,000 point club Thursday and now has 1,014 points and is ranked 31st all-time at UNM in scoring. Maluach surpassed four 1,000-point scoring, former Lobos including Hugh Greenwood (1,006), Rod Becker (1,010), Alex Kirk (1,010) and Rob Loeffel (1,011).

UNM is led by three players averaging scoring in double figures including Maluach (18.3), junior Rod Brown (13.3) and redshirt-freshman Bayron Matos (10.7). Maluach also leads the Lobos with 10.0 rebounds per game.

Boise State is led by four players scoring in double figures including redshirt-senior Derrick Alston, Jr. (15.2), sophomore RayJ Dennis (14.0), senior Abu Kigab (13.4) and redshirt-junior Marcus Shaver, Jr. (12.3). No Broncos are rebounding in double figures but the closest is redshirt-junior Mladen Armus with 7.2.

SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos lead the all-time series with Boise State 12-6 and have won two of the last three games against the Broncos, both in Albuquerque.

The last time the two teams met, Boise State earned a 74-61 victory at ExtraMile Arena.

On the road in Boise, the teams are even 4-4. Boise State has won the last two contests in Boise going back to Jan. 2018.

THE COACHES
Head coach Paul Weir is 55-47 in his fourth year at the helm of the Lobos, 83-53 in his fifth season as a head coach. Boise State head coach Leon Rice is 202-129 in his 11th season with the Broncos and is the same in his career.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Monday’s game will be available to watch live on FS1. Fans can also follow live via live stats or listen in on the radio LIVE. Robert Portnoy and former Lobo Hunter Greene will be on the call on 96.3 FM/770 AM KKOB.