New Mexico basketball: 2019-20 season overview of the Lobos

New Mexico Basketball: 2019-20 season overview of the Lobos

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - FEBRUARY 29: Corey Manigault #1 of the New Mexico Lobos goes up for a dunk against Justin Bean #34 of the Utah State Aggies during their game at Dreamstyle Arena - The Pit on February 29, 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lobos defeated the Aggies 66-64. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 22: Head coach Paul Weir of the New Mexico Lobos (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

The Lows of the season

JJ Caldwell and Carlton Bragg Suspensions

All of New Mexico’s issues began on December 22nd. That was the day that JJ Caldwell and Carlton Bragg were both unavailable to play against Houston Baptist and were eventually both revealed to be suspended indefinitely. Bragg’s original suspension would be lifted just a few games later, but his selfishness eventually led to him joining Caldwell on the shelf for good after he was arrested for a DUI.

The dynamic of the Lobos completely changed when these two were suspended and this one moment is largely responsible for the other lows of the season.

28-point home loss to San Diego State

In my opinion, this was the lowest point for Lobo basketball over the last few years. It wasn’t just that they saw their home winning streak over San Diego State come to an end, but that they weren’t even competitive. They didn’t look like a team trying to defend their home court against one of the country’s top teams. The packed crowd was rarely engaged in the game and it was honestly the worst experience I’ve had in over seven years of attending games at The Pit. It was an embarrassing home loss for the Lobos and one that clearly delivered the message that things likely weren’t going to get any better for the fans.

Loss at San Jose State

The Lobos entered their game against San Jose State with a 13-2 record and a 2-0 Mountain West record, but it was their first conference test without Bragg and Caldwell. They were still expected to win against a lowly SJSU team. However, the defense struggled mightily in the game and the offense wasn’t able to make up for it in the absence of two of their starters. This game was the first indication that the Lobos might fall entirely out of contention for even the NIT after looking like they could qualify for the NCAA tournament when they were at full strength. This loss was tough for Lobo fans to swallow and was an early indication of how far the Lobos might fall.