ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Lobo men’s basketball team looks to continue its best start to Mountain West play in program history on Wednesday night. First place UNM will host No. 3 Colorado State.
Currently at 10-1 inside of conference play, UNM has been able to win in a variety of ways. The team leads the Mountain West in scoring and total rebounding.
Defensively, the Lobos have also been in a groove lately. During the team’s four-game winning streak, UNM has held opposing teams to 67 points per game on 39% shooting.
“I think guys are bought in to the collective unit of trying to get back to an NCAA tournament which we know is very, very hard,” said UNM head coach Richard Pitino. “Trying to win the Mountain West we know is very challenging.”
“I just think the whole team has a great chemistry this year,” Guard Braden Appelhans said. “We’re all locked in on one thing, winning a championship. We really value just winning the game, we don’t care how we win. We just want to win.”
The Lobos and Rams already matched up once this season. In late December, UNM traveled to Fort Collins and won 76-68. Since then, CSU has gone 7-1 and coach Pitino said he can’t rely on his previous scouting report.
“It was over a month ago so I don’t think so,” he said. “I mean I think our guys understand right now this time of year how important all these games are. They see how well Colorado State is playing.
“They’re playing a lot better, but so are we,” said Appelhans. “So, it’s going to be a really good game because they’re tied for second right now and its going to be just as big a game as Utah State.”
The Lobos and Rams tipoff from the Pit on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FS1.