Colorado State vs. New Mexico Square off at the Pit
Colorado State vs. New Mexico Square off at the Pit
Huge game for Rams vs. Lobos
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Will home court prevail?
In a Mountain West Conference showdown, the New Mexico Lobos (20-6, 8-5 MWC) will host the No. 22 Colorado State Rams (20-6, 8-5 MWC) at home on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 10:00 p.m. ET.
On Wednesday night, the New Mexico men’s basketball team seeks its third upset against a ranked opponent this season as they welcome No. 22 Colorado State to The Pit.
Matchup: UNM Lobos (20-6) 8-5 vs. CSU (20-6) 8-5 in MWC
Date/Time: Wednesday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m. MST
Location: The PIT in Albuquerque
TV Channel: CBS Sports Network, Direct TV 221, Dish 158
Play by Play: Rich Waltz, color Avery Johnson
STREAM: FuboTV – Get a free trial
The Mountain West basketball season has been a wild ride, full of highs and lows for fans of the top-tier teams in the hunt for being the top dog in their conference.
Consider this: with seven teams within 1.5 games of first place in the league standings midweek and unable to sustain a winning streak longer than two games, there’s little time for teams to relish their victories before facing another formidable opponent.
It’s challenging for teams to bask in a win when they know they’ll be up against another formidable rival in just a few days.
Thus, these teams must navigate through the emotional ups and downs, refocus to take on other contenders vying for the conference championship, and ultimately aim for a spot in the NCAA tournament, the big dance.
New Mexico (20-6, 8-5 Mountain West) has been a perfect example of the ups and downs characteristic of this season in the Mountain West.
As of Tuesday, every major NCAA Tournament projection indicates that the conference could send six teams to the Big Dance.
This matchup marks the first time since 2012-13, against San Diego State, that two Top-30 teams, according to KenPom rankings, clash in The Pit.
New Mexico aims for its third win against an AP Top 25 team this season in front of a very loud and intimidating Lobo fan base.
Under Richard Pitino’s leadership, the Lobos boast a 3-1 home record against ranked foes (victories against Wyoming in 2021-22 and San Diego State and Utah State this season),
So the Lobos are striving to notch three victories against ranked opponents at The Pit in a single season for the first time in history.
The game coincides with UNM’s celebration of Black History Month, featuring a pregame rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and a halftime step performance.
Lobo freshman JT Toppin, earning his eighth Mountain West Freshman of the Week award, remains the conference’s sole player averaging a double-double in league play (12.9 points, 10.1 rebounds).
Toppin has looked, without a doubt, one of the most impressive freshman players to wear the Cherry & Silver for the Lobo basketball program.
On the opposing side, Colorado State, also 20-6 overall and 8-5 in the Mountain West, arrives after a convincing 20-point victory over conference-leading Utah State.
Isaiah Stevens, the preseason conference player of the year, leads the Rams with 16.2 points per game and a Mountain West-best 7.4 assists per game.
Historically, Colorado State holds the advantage in recent meetings, winning seven of the last nine encounters, including a 76-68 victory on January 2 in Fort Collins.
However, New Mexico boasts an impressive 46-6 record against the Rams at The Pit, the most victories against any opponent in the arena.
The Lobos will wrap up their two-game homestand on Saturday against Air Force, with tipoff at 2 p.m. and coverage again on CBS Sports Network.
CSU is led by Niko Medved, who is in his sixth season as head coach of the Rams. He’s 112-70 at CSU and 191-158 overall.
Richard Pitino is in his third year leading New Mexico with a 55-37 record. He’s 214-174 in his career.
To see where this UNM Lobo program is from when he has taken the leadership role for this program is impressive, to say the least.
The Lobos have shown significant improvement in each of his first two seasons in Albuquerque.
In 2022-23, UNM had its first 20-win season and postseason appearance in nine years, so many positives are looking at the big picture for this program.
The Lobos have been spreading their wings this season, boasting a solid 17-8-0 record against the spread, outshining Colorado State’s 14-11-0 ATS performance.
New Mexico has consistently lit up the scoreboard, surpassing the point total in 14 games. At the same time, the Rams have done so in 10 matchups.
The Lobos have shown dominance in their last ten games, holding a 7-3 ATS record alongside an impressive 7-3 overall standing.
However, Colorado State isn’t one to be overlooked, as they’ve managed a 5-5 ATS and a matching 7-3 overall record in their recent ten outings.
Colorado State enters the matchup riding high on its return to the AP Top 25, reclaiming the No. 22 spot this week.
Meanwhile, New Mexico finds itself outside the rankings for the second consecutive week despite reaching as high as No. 19 earlier in the season.
Despite that, most forecasters believe this very talented Lobo team will go to the NCAA tournament this year for the first time in a few years.
Six Mountain West teams could be in the big dance this year; the conference is that good.
With both teams jockeying for position, this game promises to be a thrilling battle between two Mountain West powpowerhouses.
The Rams come into the contest fresh off a dominant performance against Utah State, securing a convincing 75-55 victory.
Power forward Joel Scott led the charge with 17 points and eight rebounds, showcasing the Rams’ prowess in the paint.
Despite shooting struggles from beyond the arc, Colorado State dominated the scoring inside, with a commanding 48-26 advantage in the paint and a 45-32 edge in rebounding.
On the other hand, the Lobos are looking to bounce back from a tough loss to San Diego State, falling 81-70 in their previous matchup.
“We did a great job of coming back and just had three empty possessions that cost us and allowed them to build the lead again.”
“San Diego State is a terrific team. If we don’t play good offense, we will let them get out on the break and get this building going.”
“We had some silly turnovers, and they will capitalize on that, especially in this building. We need to be more efficient offensively, with six assists and 19 turnovers.
We turned them over, battled on the boards, and did a lot of good things, but there is a reason they haven’t lost at home since us last year. They are a terrific team, especially at home.” – Richard Pitino.
Despite the defeat, key player Jaelen House delivered an impressive performance, contributing 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
Jaelen House scored 22 points to lead New Mexico, while JT Toppin and Mustapha Amzil recorded double-doubles.
Toppin had 18 points and ten rebounds for his ninth double-double, extending his UNM freshman record.
Despite the defeat, Toppin showcased his prowess in the post, tallying 18 points and securing 10 rebounds against a formidable defensive frontcourt.
The opponent, SDSU, is renowned for its defensive prowess, making Toppin’s performance all the more impressive and indicative of his competitive mindset.
Amzil had 10 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for his first double-double as a Lobo. Donovan Dent added 11 points to round out four double-figure scorers for New Mexico.
As the two teams prepare to clash, all eyes will be on the players to watch:
For New Mexico:
JT Toppin leads the Lobos in rebounds with 8.8 per game while contributing 12.7 points.
Donovan Dent leads the team in assists with 5.6 per game, alongside 15.4 points per game.
Jaelen House is a defensive stalwart, leading his team in steals with 2.6 per game and averaging 15.9 points.
For Colorado State:
Isaiah Stevens:
Nique Clifford leads the Rams in rebounds with 7.1 per game and contributes 13.0 points.
Joel Scott provides a balanced performance with 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
With both teams bringing their A-game, tonight’s matchup will be a thrilling battle between two evenly matched contenders.
So, grab your popcorn and prepare for a night of high-flying hoops in the Mountain West Conference showdown.
This is that time of the year when the wins and losses are amplified, especially with so many great Mountain West Conference teams.
It’s a dog fight at this point, and the Lobos play tough, especially at home, so it’s up for their big dogs to step up on a nationally televised game.
