Lobo Pack: Weekly Game Recap

The New Mexico Lobos had only one game this past week, and it will go into the win column, but it wasn’t the type of win that fans, and I’m sure coaches, wanted.

New Mexico defeated Northern New Mexico, 78-46, on Friday night to push their winning streak to two games, and their record to 10-14 overall.

The non-conference game was a late addition to take the place of the postponed San Diego State game that the Mountain West Conference failed to reschedule.

In the game against Northern New Mexico, Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 21 points and the Lobos forced 20 Northern New Mexico turnovers that propelled them to victory in The Pit.

“Obviously to get a win is great,” head coach Richard Pitino said in his postgame presser. “We’ve won three out of four. We were sleepwalking in the first half, but after halftime the guys responded well.”

The game was scheduled just a week prior to playing when it became clear that San Diego State was not going to be able to play its scheduled game at UNM, due to COVID issues in the Aztecs program. UNM paid NNMC $5,000 to come to Albuquerque on Friday night, rather than have 10 days between games.

The Lobos will be back in action twice this upcoming week, both home games.

On Tuesday the Lobos will host Wyoming. The Cowboys were able to hang on for a 93-91 win the last time these two teams played in Laramie on January 22nd.

On Thursday UNM will welcome Colorado State to The Pit. The Lobos fell 80-74 in Fort Collins back on January 19th. The contest with the Rams is the rescheduled game from December 28th, as CSU had a COVID outbreak within its program.