New Mexico vs Saint Mary’s: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By John Makuch
Two of the best non-power conference programs face off in New Mexico and Saint Mary’s. Which of them should be the favorite?
TV schedule: Thursday, November 9th, 10:00 pm ET (ESPN+)
Arena: University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California
A huge mid-Major showdown takes place on Thursday night as the New Mexico Lobos will have the challenge of taking on the No. 23 St Mary’s Gaels Both of these teams have big expectations to shock the college basketball landscape, but it starts here where they both get the chance to prove themselves against a quality opponent.
Saint Mary’s has already done their fair share of surprising people, they were voted to win the WCC by the nine coaches in their preseason poll. Gonzaga had been picked to be the preseason favorites by the coaches five years in a row, but the expectations have shifted towards the Gaels.
What helped St. Mary’s this off-season was their returnees, they got back Alex Ducas as a fifth year senior, and returned Aidan Mahaney who ranked 13th in the nation in scoring among freshman. They also return some great size as 6’10 Mitchell Saxon will also play yet again for the Gaels this season.
Being able to reload this roster for another chance to take down Gonzaga is what slotted them in the AP Top 25 to start the season, and that run begins with potentially picking up a great non conference win against New Mexico. This is a notable rematch for these teams, with the Lobos winning the last matchup 69-65 during their 14-0 start. That victory also snapped a 23 game winning streak at home, so the Gaels will have a chip on their shoulder here in their new attempt to defend their house.
Richard Pitino and his New Mexico squad have college basketball fans and their interest piqued with how their roster is looking this year. They have two preseason All-Mountain West players in guards Jaylen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr., four key transfers, freshmen Tru Washington and JT Toppin, along with Donovan Dent who has another year under his belt now.
The season started off well for this team as well, they picked up a win against Texas Southern at home 92-55, with Mashburn Jr. leading the way with 15 points and five assists, and Dent having a solid well rounded game with 12 points, 6 assists and four rebounds. Saint Mary’s will not be as easy of a challenge for them though as this should be a highly competitive matchup for the late night college basketball fan to watch.
Saint Mary’s showed out in their season opener as well, beating up on Division II opponent Stanislaus State 107-28. Obviously it is tough to get a true gauge on this team when they are playing an opponent a division lower than them, but it is a good sign for their readiness in this game.
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Both teams have plenty to offer offensively, but it will come down to which team shows up on the defensive end to decide the winner. This does give a big advantage to the home team with the crowd’s ability to fuel energy on the defensive side of the ball. For fans of great midmajor basketball, this is the game to watch, even if you have to stay up just a tad past your usual bed time.