Bracketology 2023: USC, Seton Hall and Kentucky suffer big setbacks this week

New Mexico Lobos

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Lobos and their at-large hopes, which started with the double-overtime loss to Nevada. This past week was one that really put them in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons.

It started at home with the rematch with the Wolf Pack, which once again came down to the wire. New Mexico lost the game 77-76, despite 21 points from Jamal Mashburn and 18 each from both Morris Udeze and Jaelen House. Nevada is also on the bubble so it’s not a bad loss but one you needed to get, especially based on what happened next.

Air Force is competitive but still not a very good team in the Mountain West. And still, they ended up beating the Lobos in a shootout, 89-77. Mashburn had 32 points to keep them in the game but without House playing due to an injury, it’s another Quad 3 loss, the third on the season for them.

New Mexico has seen its NET ranking drop from 35 to 48 in the past few days and is squarely on the bubble. Having lost 4 of 5 games, the Lobos are now desperate for a big win. But that won’t happen this upcoming week, with games against Wyoming and San Jose State. A loss to either would be brutal for its resume.