New Mexico Lobos Fall to San Diego State Aztecs in Mountain West Quarterfinal
In a hard-fought Mountain West Quarterfinal, the New Mexico Lobos succumbed to the San Diego State Aztecs with a final score of 67-56. The Lobos entered the game with high hopes but were unable to secure victory, while the Aztecs demonstrated strong play throughout, leading to their triumph at Thomas & Mack Center.
The New Mexico team started off trailing in the first quarter and couldn't quite catch up, scoring 13 points against the Aztecs' 18. The second quarter saw an improved effort from the Lobos as they put up 15 points but still fell short of closing the gap created by San Diego State's consistent performance, who added another 21 points. After halftime, both teams returned to the court with renewed vigor; however, it was a challenging third quarter for New Mexico as they managed only seven points compared to ten by their opponents. In a valiant fourth-quarter rally, the Lobos outscored San Diego State with 21 points but ultimately could not overcome their deficit.
The statistics tell a story of intense competition and missed opportunities for New Mexico. Despite shooting at an efficient fifty percent from two-point range and securing more steals (10) than their counterparts (6), they struggled beyond the arc with just eighteen percent accuracy on three-point attempts. Additionally, turnovers proved costly for them as they gave away possession fifteen times which translated into twenty points for San Diego State off those turnovers.
On defense, New Mexico managed two blocks and ten steals but this was overshadowed by personal fouls that amounted to fifteen over four quarters. Their rebounding efforts were also outmatched by an aggressive Aztec side that pulled down forty-five rebounds including thirty-two defensive boards which limited second-chance opportunities for UNM.
San Diego State's performance was marked by balanced scoring across all quarters and solid shooting percentages including forty-seven percent from two-point range and forty percent from three-point territory. They also capitalized on free throw opportunities making sixty-nine percent of their shots from the line.
As fans look ahead after this tough loss in Las Vegas, they can anticipate future broadcasts featuring University of New Mexico's continued pursuit of success on court during upcoming games in next season's schedule.