20. New Mexico Lobos - 18-4 (6-3 Mountain West)
After taking care of business on the road the week prior with easy wins over Air Force and San Jose State, the level of competition the Lobos had to deal with was raised. Nevada was their first opponent in what was expected to be a close battle. It was a double-digit lead in the first half before a 51-point effort in the final 20 minutes allowed the Lobos to run away with an 89-55 blowout.
Jaelen House had an outstanding game with a game-high 21 points, along with six assists and six steals. Nelly Junior Joseph had a double-double, with Mustapha Amzil and Tru Washington combined for 20 points off the bench. That kind of blowout win did wonders for New Mexico’s margins and put them in great shape for an at-large bid.
But there may have been a letdown of sorts for the team, as the defense didn’t show up in the next game. At home against Boise State, the Lobos fell 86-78. Donovan Dent had 31 points to lead the way, while Jamal Mashburn had 14. Freshman forward JT Toppin was a bright spot as well, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking four shots as well.
Even with the loss, New Mexico is still just one game back in the Mountain West standings. They take on two mid-tier programs that have upsets of their own in league play, including a road trip to Wyoming. After that is a home battle with UNLV, a team that has already beaten the Lobos a few weeks ago.