Lobos' Late Surge Not Enough to Topple Aztecs at Viejas Arena
The New Mexico Lobos faced a tough challenge against the San Diego State Aztecs, culminating in a 70-81 defeat. The Lobos' record now stands at 0-1, while the Aztecs have started their season with a victory. Despite a valiant effort in the second half where they outscored their first-half performance by 14 points, the Lobos couldn't overcome the deficit incurred from an initial lag.
The game was marked by intense competition and notable performances from both sides. The New Mexico team put up an impressive display of free-throw accuracy, netting 21 out of 23 attempts for an outstanding 91 percent success rate. They also demonstrated tenacity on defense with 11 steals and capitalized on turnovers by scoring 26 points off them. However, ball handling proved to be challenging as they turned over possession 19 times.
Offensively, the Lobos fought hard in the paint securing 34 points but struggled beyond the arc with only five three-pointers made from twenty-two attempts—a mere 23 percent conversion rate. Their overall field goal percentage stood at just above one-third of their shots finding success (36 percent). On rebounds, they managed to collect a total of thirty-three with fourteen offensive boards contributing to ten second-chance points.
On the other side of court, San Diego State showcased strong shooting efficiency especially from two-point range where they hit sixty-five percent of their shots contributing significantly to their total score tally. Their assist-to-turnover ratio was even at one indicating a more controlled offensive play compared to that of UNM's ratio which was less than half (0.33).
Looking ahead for New Mexico fans eager to support their team: The next game will see UNM hosting Colorado State Rams at The Pit in Albuquerque on February twenty-first at eight o'clock PM Mountain Time Zone (MT). This matchup will be broadcasted nationally on CBS Sports Network channel two hundred twenty-one ensuring fans won't miss any action.
As both teams prepare for this upcoming conference clash, supporters can anticipate another opportunity for UNM to showcase resilience and aim for victory on home turf amidst cheers from loyal fans filling The Pit's stands.