Lobos Set to Tame Bulldogs at The Pit in March Madness
As the New Mexico Lobos prepare to face off against the Fresno State Bulldogs, fans are buzzing with anticipation for what promises to be a riveting encounter at The Pit on March 6th. The Lobos, coming off a nail-bitingly close game against the Air Force Falcons where they fell just one point short with a final score of 77-78 on February 24th, are looking to rebound and assert their dominance on their home court.
The Lobos' performance in that game was marked by an impressive display of offensive rebounds, grabbing 15 compared to the Falcons' five. This tenacity on the boards led to them scoring 22 second-chance points. However, it wasn't enough as they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only three out of sixteen attempts for a mere nineteen percent shooting from three-point range.
In contrast, during their game against Colorado State Rams on February 22nd, UNM showcased better control over turnovers with only four compared to twelve by CSU and capitalized by scoring nine points off turnovers. Despite shooting just thirty-eight percent from the field overall and thirty-three percent from three-point land in that match-up, UNM's defense came through with seven steals contributing significantly towards their narrow victory of 68-66.
Looking back further into their season reveals another tough contest for UNM when they visited San Diego State Aztecs on February 17th. In this high-scoring affair which ended in a loss for UNM (70-81), turnovers were particularly damaging as they gave up nineteen leading to twenty-six points for SDSU. Although they shot an outstanding ninety-one percent from the free-throw line that night, it was not enough to overcome other deficiencies including lower field goal percentage and fewer assists than SDSU.
With these recent performances in mind, it's clear that if UNM wants success against FRES at The Pit – an arena known for its raucous atmosphere – they'll need more consistent shooting especially from distance while maintaining their aggressive rebounding approach. Defense will also play a key role; creating turnovers without committing too many fouls could tilt this matchup in favor of UNM.
The upcoming clash is not just about bouncing back but setting a tone for postseason aspirations; every win counts as March Madness approaches. Fans can expect head coach Paul Weir’s squad to come out with intensity and focus as they aim to exploit FRES's weaknesses while shoring up their own areas needing improvement.
Mark your calendars: tip-off is scheduled at 8:30 PM local time (Mountain Time Zone) at The Pit in Albuquerque. For those unable or unwilling to brave what will surely be an electric environment live can catch all the action broadcasted on Fox Sports 1.