Emptying the Notebook: Lobos showed some needed paint dominance in season's Pit finale
Mar. 7—Here are some extra notes, quotes, stats videos and other odds & ends I emptied out of the old notebook from Wednesday's 79-58 Lobos win over Fresno State in the Pit:
Some needed paint dominance ...
Saturday in Boise wasn't really a bad loss for the Lobos. It was on the road to a very good Boise State team and, frankly, didn't really hurt the Lobos in any computer metrics or NET rankings.
But the way the Lobos lost — surrendering 40 points in the paint, being outrebounded by eight and giving up 18 second-chance points off 17 offensive rebounds — seemed to be a gut-punch of a loss. There was a feel of being bullied, even with the strong 21-point, eight-rebound, three-blocked-shot performance from freshman JT Toppin.
Couple that loss with the fact the team had a whole week off to think about the Feb. 24 home loss to Air Force only to lose again and it was clear the Lobos could use a momentum shift.
"That was a long stretch," UNM Lobo coach Richard Pitino said. "That was the longest two-game losing streak I've ever had."
Wednesday delivered, even if it was against an injury-plagued Fresno State team (albeit one that would've beat Utah State a week ago if not for a banked-in, deep 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime).
In their 79-58 win over Fresno State, the Lobos bullied the Bulldogs even more than the Lobos got got beat up inside by the Broncos.
Consider the following:
—UNM outrebounded Fresno State 54-35
—UNM outscored Fresno State 38-18 in the paint
—UNM's +19 rebound margin was a season high (previous high +18 vs. Toledo on Nov. 21)
—Fresno State's -19 rebound margin was a season low (previous worst was -18 vs. San Diego State on Feb. 24)
—UNM grabbed a season-high 19 offensive rebounds (previous high was 18 vs. UNLV on Feb. 10)
—Fresno State surrendered a season-worst 19 offensive rebounds (previous worst was 17 vs. SDSU on Feb. 24)
—UNM outscored Fresno State 20-8 in second-chance points
—UNM blocked 10 shots (third time this season the Lobos had double-digit blocks)
—Fresno State had season-high 10 shots blocked (previous worst was nine versus SDSU on Feb. 24)
—Both JT Toppin (15 points, 16 rebounds) and Nelly Junior Joseph (12 points, 12 rebounds) had double-doubles in the same game for the first time this season.
NOTE: Much more on Toppin later on in this ETN column.
The gamer ...
Here is the gamer I filed from the Pit media room after Wednesday's game:
That's a winner ...
For the first time since the 2017-18 season, the Lobos will have a winning season in Mountain West play.
Wednesday's win over Fresno State pushed UNM to 10-7 in league play, their first winning record in MW games in six years:
—2023-24: 10-7*
—2022-23: 8-10
—2021-22: 5-12
—2020-21: 2-15
—2019-20: 7-11
—2018-19: 7-11
—2017-18: 12-6
*One regular season game remaining in 2023-24 season.
Senior moments ...
Here is the pregame Senior Night introduction for Jaelen House and his family from Wednesday night:
And here is the pregame introduction on the court for Jamal Mashburn Jr., whose mom was at the game and he was also accompanied by ... Sebastian Forsling?
Mashburn can still opt to come back and play for UNM next season due to his COVID year when he was a freshman at Minnesota. Will he? He said he hasn't decided, but he wanted to go through Senior Night on Wednesday because he is the first in his family to earn his college degree.
Jemarl Baker Jr., Isaac Mushilla and manager Lucas Loe were the other three honored on Senior Night.
Nelly Junior Joseph and Mustapha Amzil are also seniors, but neither took part in Senior Night on Wednesday. Does that mean they're coming back? Pitino says nobody ever knows who will be back from season to season anymore, but neither are on pace to graduate by end of the spring, so that played into their decision not to go through Senior Night ceremonies.
Senior moment, take 2 ...
Jemarl Baker Jr. went through Senior Night on March 4, 2023, with the Fresno State Bulldogs.
He went off that day for a career-high 43 points and hit 10 3-pointers in a uniquely scheduled nonconference game against Chicago State (Fresno State's Mountain West bye was the last weekend of the regular season a year ago, so instead of being off before the conference tournament, they scheduled a game, which is why they had a March regular season game against Chicago State).
Baker apparently liked that Senior Night game so much, he figured he'd have another.
The seventh-year guard who transferred to UNM this past offseason had three points, two rebounds and two blocks in Wednesday's win over his old team and before the game joined teammates Jaelen House, Jamal Mashburn Jr., Isaac Mushilla and manager Lucas Loe as the five who were honored in pregame Senior Night festivities.
After spending two years at Kentucky, two years at Arizona, two years at Fresno State and then this year at New Mexico in what has been an injury-riddled seven seasons for Baker, I had to ask the tough question on Wednesday night:
Is this actually his LAST Senior Night game?
Senior moment streak ...
UNM has now won seven-consecutive "Senior Night" games, including three of those against Fresno State.
The Lobos have also won 15 of the past 16 Senior Night games.
Planting a seed ...
With just five games remaining, here are the seeds that are now locked into place for next week's 11-team Mountain West tournament:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. Wyoming
9. Fresno State
10.
11.
So, I'm glad we've got that all cleared up.
The Lobos can finish in the 5, 6 or 7 seed spot. Here's how:
5 SEED: UNM is the 5 seed IF they beat Utah State AND Boise State beats San Diego State.
6 SEED: UNM is the 6 seed if Colorado State loses to Air Force on Saturday OR if New Mexico wins at Utah State OR if CSU wins and UNM loses and both are tied with a 10-8 record and having gone 1-1 against each other would come down to the winner of the Nevada/UNLV game. A Nevada win in that scenario would make UNM the No. 6 seed.
7 SEED: UNM is the 7 seed if Colorado State wins at Air Force on Saturday AND New Mexico loses at Utah State AND UNLV beats Nevada.
Champions ...
Utah State may not know for sure its seed in the MW Tournament, but with its win Wednesday over San Jose State, it clinched at least a share of the Mountain West regular-season championship.
Not bad for a team that has a new coach, didn't return one point from last year's roster and was predicted in the preseason to finish ninth in the league.
Steve Kirkland Stat of the Night ...
For this edition of the Steve Kirkland State of the Night, the regular obscure note contribution to ETN by UNM hoops sports information director Steve Kirkland, let's go back to Jemarl Baker Jr.
—Jemarl Baker Jr. in two years at Fresno State: 2 blocked shots
—Jemarl Baker Jr. in one game Wednesday vs. Fresno State: 2 blocked shots
This has been your Steve Kirkland Stat of the Night.
A number to know: 0
JT Toppin had zero fouls Wednesday night in 30 minutes of playing time.
It was just the second time in 30 games this season the freshman did not get called for a foul (his other such game was Dec. 6 vs. UC Santa Barbara).
In his past six games, he got to four fouls five times and averaged 3.7 fouls in that six-game stretch, often cutting into his playing time.
But Wednesday, only a blowout and some much deserved rest led to his time on the bench in the second half.
And without foul trouble, let's take a look in this next note at just how amazing a freshman season he continue to have ...
Still no stoppin' Toppin ...
Lobo freshman JT Toppin, the reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Week (his ninth such award of the season, tying the Mountain West record), made a case not only for Freshman of the Year on Wednesday, but also All-Mountain West team and maybe even Defensive Player of the Year.
Wednesday's stat line:
—POINTS: 15
—2FG: 6-6
—3FG: 1-2
—REBOUNDS: 16
—OFF. REBS: 5
—BLOCKS: 3
—STEALS: 1
—FOULS: 0
Now, look at the latest benchmarks for the unbelievable season he's having:
UNM freshman rebound record:
1. JT Toppin, 269 (2023-24)
2. Kenny Thomas, 256 (1995-96)
UNM season offensive rebounds:
1. Drew Gordon, 108 (2011-12)
2. JT Toppin, 105 (2023-24)
3. Kenny Thomas, 102 (1997-98)
NOTE: The NCAA only started logging rebounds as offensive or defensive in the 1986-87 season. So this UNM record only dates to the 1986-87 season.
Most UNM freshman double-doubles:
1. JT Toppin 10 (2023-24)
2. Kenny Thomas 7 (1995-96)
3. Three tied with 2
Most freshman double-doubles MW history:
10 — Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State (2009-10)
7 — JT Toppin, UNM (2023-24)
7 — Brandon McCoy, UNLV (2017-18)
7 — Stephen Zimmerman, UNLV (2015-16)
6 — Jalen McDaniels, San Diego State (2017-18)
6 — Andrew Bogut, Utah (2003-04)
Mountain West rebounding leader (all games):
1. JT Toppin, UNM — 8.97
2. Great Osobor, Utah State — 8.93
Mountain West rebounding leader (MW games):
1. JT Toppin, UNM — 10.00
2. Great Osobor, Utah State — 8.76
Mountain West blocks leader (all games):
1. JT Toppin, UNM — 1.97
2. Kalib Boone, UNLV — 1.75
Mountain West blocks leader (MW games):
1. JT Toppin, UNM — 2.29
2. Kalib Boone, UNLV — 1.71
Speaking of offensive rebounds ...
We saw a few videos of JT Toppin dominating the offensive glass in the previous note. Well, his five offensive boards, and Nelly Junior Joseph's four offensive rebounds, led the charge for a season-high 19 offensive rebounds.
UNM's most offensive rebounds since 2010-11:
—30 — W, vs. D-III LeTourneau (Dec. 12, 2020)
—22 (2OT) — W, vs. Alabama-Birmingham (Nov. 21, 2013)
—21 — L, at San Jose State (Feb. 26, 2019)
—21 — L, at USC (Nov. 21, 2015)
—19 — W, vs. Fresno State (Wednesday)
—19 — W, at Rice (Dec. 13, 2020)
—19 — L, at UNLV (Jan. 21, 2012)
A number to know: 38.0
The Lobos shot 38.0% from the field against Fresno State (30-79). That marks just the fourth time this season they shot under 40% and won.
UNM shooting under 40% in win:
—37.5% — Feb. 21 vs. Colorado State (W, 68-66)
—37.9% — Nov. 29 vs. Louisiana Tech (W, 74-65)
—38.0% — Wednesday vs. Fresno State (W, 79-58)
—39.4% — Dec. 20 vs. UC Irvine (W, 78-65)
Another number to know: 32.7
Fresno State shot 32.7% from the field on Wednesday (18-55), the fifth time this season UNM has held a team under 35% shooting:
—29.4% — Nov. 6 vs. Texas Southern (W, 92-55)
—32.7% — Wednesday vs. Fresno State (W, 79-58)
—33.9% — Jan. 28 vs. Nevada (W, 89-55)
—34.0% — Nov. 22 vs. Rice (W, 90-56)
—34.4% — Dec. 29 vs. D-II Eastern New Mexico (W, 87-54)
Tough to manage ...
It was senior night for more than just Lobo players.
Manager Lucas Loe had his final regular season game in the Pit, as well.
Block party ...
UNM's 10 blocks marked the third time this season the Mountain West leaders in blocks have had double-digit rejections in a game:
—14 — vs. San Diego State on Jan. 13 (W, 88-70)
—10 — vs. Utah State on Jan. 16 (W, 99-86)
—10 — vs. Fresno State on Wednesday (W, 79-58)
So, what exactly happened at halftime?
Jaelen House attempted a 3-pointer at the first half buzzer. He missed, hit the ground and looked up at referee Kipp Kissinger wondering why he didn't call a foul. House banged the floor, knowing he had been hit in a rather sensitive area and was called for a technical foul.
Two things. One, Kissinger's angle from behind House wouldn't have seen what happened that this angle does show:
Second, they reviewed the sequence after the teams left the floor for halftime, upheld House's technical (understandable based on his showing up a ref, but also an understandable reaction based on what we now know was a clear shot to the, umm, again I'll stick with sensitive area). The result of the review also determined Isaiah Hill, Fresno State's best player, committed a flagrant 2 foul that would result in an ejection.
Too harsh, many thought on social media (House, I'm sure, didn't think so). But by the letter of the law, it appears to be the right call.
"Any contact by the offending player to the groin area of an opponent which is not clearly accidental."
Attendance ...
The announced attendance for Wednesday's Fresno State at New Mexico game in the Pit: 13,140
That gives UNM an average home attendance for the 2023-24 season of 13,042. As of Tuesday that figure would rank 23rd in the nation.
In nine Mountain West games, UNM's average home attendance was 14,190.
League play attendance ...
Yes, this note requires the context of arena size because when I don't, I get slammed by San Diego State fans. So...
—VIEJAS ARENA CAPACITY: 12,414
—THE PIT CAPACITY: 15,411
San Diego State has already sold out Friday's home finale, so they have, again, sold out all nine league home games. It's also fair context to point out the lowest attended Lobos home game in league play would have also been a sell out in Viejas Arena.
That means UNM and San Diego State accounted for the top 18 attended games in Mountain West play this season.
Highest attended MW games in 2023-2024:
Highest attended MW games in 2023-2024:
1. 15,437 — UNM (vs. San Diego State, 1/13)2. 15,435 — UNM (vs. UNLV, 2/10)3. 15,021 — UNM (vs. Nevada, 1/28)4. 15,011 — UNM (vs. Air Force, 2/24)5. 14,618 — UNM (vs. Colorado State, 2/21)6. 13,329 — UNM (vs. Boise State, 1/31)7. 13,140 — UNM (vs. Fresno State, 3/6)8. 13,106 — UNM (vs. Utah State, 1/16)9. 12,611 — UNM (vs. Wyoming, 1/6)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. Fresno State, 1/3)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. UNLV, 1/6)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. Nevada, 1/17)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. Wyoming, 1/23)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. Utah State, 2/3)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. Colorado State, 2/13)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. New Mexico, 2/16)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. San Jose State, 2/27)t10. 12,411 — San Diego State (vs. Boise State, 3/8)*19-99: Games hosted by the league's other nine teams.
*Friday's game is already announced as a sell out.
One fan is undefeated in the Pit ...
Of the announced crowd of 13,140 in the Pit on Wednesday night, I know of at least one who can boast that the Lobos have never lost a game she has attended ...
Plus/minus ...
Here are the plus/minus numbers for Wednesday's game with minutes in parenthesis:
NEW MEXICO
+23 JT Toppin (29:56)
+19 Jaelen House (25:16)
+19 Donovan Dent (25:25)
+16 Nelly Junior Joseph (23:01)
+14 Jamal Mashburn Jr. (21:32)
+11 Jemarl Baker Jr. (17:22)
+6 Tru Washington (20:52)
+5 Mustapha Amzil (16:51)
+1 Sebastian Forsling (3:01)
-1 Braden Appelhans (3:47)
-3 Isaac Mushila (7:11)
-5 Quinton Webb (5:46)
FRESNO STATE
+2 Steven Vasquez Jr. (8:58)
-1 Pierre Geneste Jr. (3:01)
-1 Chase Courtney (3:01)
-8 Isaiah Pope (26:15)
-12 Isaac Taveras (13:19)
-13 Isaiah Hill (20:00)
-14 Jalen Weaver (28:47)
-18 Enoch Boakye (26:31)
-20 Leo Colimerio (31:55)
-20 Xavier DuSell (38:13)
Line 'em up ...
The UNM Lobos played 12 players and used 17 unique lineup combinations. The Fresno State Bulldogs played 10 players and used 14 unique lineup combinations.
STARTING LINEUP AND BEST LINEUP
—WHO: Jaelen House, Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn Jr., JT Toppin, Nelly Junior Joseph
—POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +14 (31-17)
—TIME ON COURT: 12:06
—NOTE: It was a 21-point win and no Lobo played 30 minutes. Had they needed to, this starting five getting any more than 12 minutes would have likely just meant even more of a blowout.
Once again, the Lobos first five have, for the most part in recent weeks, been playing a very high level on both ends of the court. Wednesday, this group in a dozen minutes had 15 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals.
(2nd) BEST LINEUP
—WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, Jemarl Baker Jr., JT Toppin, Mustapha Amzil
—POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +7 (12-5)
—TIME ON COURT: 5:34
—NOTE: Some real good run here with Dent/Washington/Toppin on the court together in a glimpse, maybe, of the what next season may look like.
WORST LINEUP
—WHO: Jaelen House, Tru Washington, Quinton Webb, Isaac Mushila, Mustapha Amzil
—POINT DIFFERENTIAL: -4 (2-6)
—TIME ON COURT: 1:51
—NOTE: Hard to spend too much time on the analysis of a lineup that had two players who pretty much haven't seen the court in a month in Webb and Mushila.
National anthem ...
Wednesday night's national anthem was performed by Staff Sergeants Christopher Walker and Logan Mueller from the Marines Barracks in Washington D.C. The colors were presented by the official color guard of the U.S. Marine Corps.
VIDEO: Pitino and Baker postgame ...
Here is the postgame media availability of Richard Pitino and Jemarl Baker Jr. after Wednesday's game:
Podcast with the commissioner ...
Episode 82 of the Talking Grammer podcast was with Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevada. Watch here or listening options in link below links available below.
—EPISODE 82: Talking Grammer podcast with Gloria Nevarez
Meanwhile, in San Jose ...
Already mentioned above, the Utah State Aggies earned at least a share of the MW title with their win at San Jose State, 90-70.
Around the Mountain ...
There were five midweek games and five coming for the weekend — the last five — of the Mountain West regular season.
TUESDAY
—Wyoming 74, Air Force 63
—UNLV 62, No. 21 San Diego State 58
—Nevada 76, Boise State 66
WEDNESDAY
—No. 22 Utah State 90, San Jose State 70
—New Mexico 79, Fresno State 58
FRIDAY
—Boise State at No. 21 San Diego State, 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT (FS1)
SATURDAY
—Colorado State at Air Force, 2 p.m. (TheMW)
—Wyoming at Fresno State, 4 p.m. PT/5 p.m. MT (TheMW)
—New Mexico at No. 22 Utah State, 6:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
—UNLV at Nevada, 7:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)
/END OF REGULAR SEASON
Mountain West standings ...
Through Wednesday's games:
13-4 Utah State
12-5 Nevada
12-5 UNLV
12-5 Boise State
11-6 San Diego State
10-7 New Mexico
9-8 Colorado State
7-10 Wyoming
4-13 Fresno State
2-15 Air Force
2-16 San Jose State
NET update ...
Thursday morning's NET ratings update from the NCAA:
19 San Diego State
25 Boise State
26 New Mexico
32 Utah State
33 Nevada
35 Colorado State
76 UNLV
165 Wyoming
210 Fresno State
246 San Jose State
271 Air Force
Stats and stats ...
Here is the postgame stat sheet I posted late Sunday night: New Mexico 79, Fresno State 58
And if you prefer the digital version, here you go: New Mexico 79, Fresno State 58
Grammer's Guesses ...
Ninety four games have been played.
Five remain.
And I, the professional basketball journalist who knows the Mountain West very, very well, is tied with my daughter flipping a coin to pick games this season.
The Grammer's Guesses went 1-1 on Wednesday and I'm 44-50 on the season. My daughter's coin flip picks also went 1-1 and she's now 44-50 on the season.
Like I said, five games to go.
Up next ...
For New Mexico: The Lobos play at No. 22 Utah State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Logan, Utah. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
For Fresno State: The Bulldogs host Wyoming at 4 p.m. PT/5 p.m. MT Saturday in the Save Mart Center. The game will be streamed on TheMW.com.
Lobo schedule/results ...
Pics from the game ...
