Lobos Host (RV) Utah State Sat. on Senior Night
New Mexico vs (RV) Utah State
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2020 – 8 p.m. MT
Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit (Capacity: 15,411)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 770 KKOB-AM (Listen Live)
Promos:
Senior Night: PRIOR TO TIPOFF, the Lobos will honor redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle and senior Corey Manigault.
Lobos Love Pink: The Lobos have partnered with the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center to bring awareness to cancer with survivors being honored at halftime. In addition, there will be special pink giveaways awarded to the first 4,000 people in The Pit on Saturday night.
UNM NOTES | USU NOTES | LIVE STATS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team is set to host (RV) Utah State on Saturday night at 8 p.m. for the first time since last season’s heartbreaker in The Pit. Prior to tipoff, the Lobos will also honor redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle and senior Corey Manigault in a special Senior Night ceremony.
The last time the Lobos hosted the Aggies was on Jan. 26, 2019 before Utah State headed into the Mountain West Tournament as the second seed. UNM executed a furious comeback and nearly claimed the win. However, it was a later-determined errant back-court call, forcing a Lobo turnover on the potential game-winning possession with 31 seconds left, that allowed Utah State to run out the clock and hit a three with 1.8 seconds left for the two-point win.
Utah State is the only squad the Lobos have not seen this season as part of the Mountain West’s schedule of its 11-team field. After facing each other three times last season, the Lobos and the Aggies will match up for the first time on Saturday.
The Aggies are riding a six-win streak, the longest current win streak in the league, and are tied with Nevada for second place in the Mountain West standings.
The Lobos continue to be led by four players averaging in double figures in conference play including Lyle (14.5), Manigault (13.2), redshirt-junior Vance Jackson (13.1) and redshirt-junior Zane Martin (11.0). Jackson continues to lead in MW rebounding with 5.8 per game.
The Aggies have three standouts averaging double digits in conference competition including senior MW Preseason Player of the Year Sam Merrill (19.0) and sophomores Neemias Queta (13.0) and Justin Bean (11.6). Bean also leads on the backboard with 9.9 rebounds per game.
Merrill was not only named MW Preseason Player of the Year this season, but he claimed the honor at the end of last season, in addition to earning the 2019 Mountain West Tournament MVP honor.
LOBOS IN THE NATION
Below is a look at how the Lobos rank in some of the national stats:
11th – free throw attempts (669)
15th – free throws made (481)
21st – total steals (239)
25th – total assists (447)
29th – field-goal percentage (47.1)
35th – scoring offense (77.2)
SERIES HISTORY
Utah State leads the series 26-11 dating back to February 2, 1952 but the teams have drawn in The Pit, 3-3. In Albuquerque, Utah State is 11-8 over UNM.
While the Aggies have won the last three straight, UNM is 3-4 over the last seven matchups between the squads including a pair of back-to-back wins in 2018.
The two teams met three times last season, all Aggie wins, with the last meeting in March the MW Quarterfinals in Las Vegas against second-seeded Utah State. The Aggies earned a 91-83 victory to end the Lobos’ season.
THE COACHES
Head coach Paul Weir is 50-46 in his third year at the helm of the Lobos, 78-52 in his fourth season as a head coach. Utah State head coach Craig Smith is 51-14 in his second season at the helm of the Aggies, 202-98 in his career.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday’s game will be available to watch live on CBS Sports Network. 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 770 KKOB-AM.