Photo courtesy of UNM Athletics

Lobos Win in San Jose, Tighten Grip on Mountain West Title Race

Few teams started the season with as many questions as the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team.

A new coaching staff and a completely retooled roster suggested a long adjustment period, but instead, the Lobos have delivered one of the conference’s most impressive starts, gaining momentum game by game.

In this writer’s opinion, first-year head coach Eric Olen is making a very strong case for Mountain West Coach of the Year.

This victory was a big move toward finishing first in the Mountain West Conference, with three teams now tied for the top spot.

The Lobos are currently 18-4 overall and 9-2 in the Mountain West, tying for first place with Utah State and San Diego State.

The victory was significant because it extended their winning streak to four games. Meanwhile, the Spartans lost their fifth straight game and are 6-16 overall and 1-10 in the Mountain West.

One player who performed exceptionally well was Freshman Guard Jake Hall. He scored a career-high of 27 points and made 7 three-pointers.

Hall shot an impressive 77.8% from three-point range (7/9). He also tied his UNM freshman record for most three-pointers in a single game.

As the Spartans went on runs, Hall would shoot and hit another three-pointer to respond to the Spartans’ runs.

Another player who had a strong game was forward Tomislav Buljan. Buljan scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, marking his 11th double-double of the season. Players Uriah Tenette and Deyton Albury each scored 14 points.

The Lobos began the game playing aggressively on both ends of the court. They moved the ball quickly around the perimeter, creating some open shots.

The Lobos built an 8-2 lead early on. They then played strong defense for the rest of the first half, keeping the Spartans within eight. At halftime, the Lobos led 41-35, with Hall scoring 16 points by then.

At the start of the second half, the Spartans narrowed the gap to three. However, the Lobos responded quickly, with an 8-0 run that pushed them into double digits.

Although the Spartans cut the lead to five, the Lobos kept responding to the Spartans’ runs almost immediately after Tim Miles’ team would hit a big shot.

The Lobos accomplished this with precise shooting and solid defense; they are truly the most well-rounded team in the Mountain West Conference, both offensively and defensively.

“That’s a good team, the most complete team. I think there maybe a little bit better offensive teams in the league and a little bit better defensive teams in the league, but to me, when you put it all together, I think New Mexico is probably the most complete team.” (Quote courtesy of Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal)

As the game entered its final four minutes, the Lobos refused to let the game slip away, always answering with a score right after the Spartans made a big play on either offense or defense.

A big three-point play by JT Rock helped build a ten-point lead for the Lobos. When the Spartans made one final push, Hall finished the game with his seventh three-pointer of the night.

The Lobos easily closed out the game in the final minute to secure a 10-point win. This victory has significant implications for the Lobos as they continue to compete for first place in the Mountain West Conference.

There are only a few games remaining in the regular season, and every win matters as the Lobos aim to secure the best seed in the Las Vegas Tournament.

The Lobos aim to prevent a major loss as they keep their road schedule. They still have several tough games against teams competing for conference titles.

However, the Lobos have demonstrated they can succeed with many players contributing. The Lobos have established themselves as a force in the Mountain West Conference and aim to finish the season on top.

Wins like this don’t just improve the standings—they shape a team. As the Mountain West schedule comes to an end, New Mexico has shown it can win on the road, handle adversity, and finish games when it matters most, all of which will be key as the race for the conference title reaches its final phase.

Stay tuned as the season wraps up, with each game becoming more and more vital in the chase for a spot in the big dance and a potential Mountain West Conference championship.

The Lobos head back to The Pit on Wednesday for a high-stakes matchup against Utah State, as two Mountain West co-leaders collide. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. on FS1.