New Mexico Lobos host Colorado State Rams.
Game: Colorado State Rams vs. New Mexico Lobos
Date: Saturday, February 5, 2024
Time: 8:30 MT 10:30 EST
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, the PIT
Radio: Lobo Sports Network, Jeff Siembieda/Hunter Green
TV: FS1
New Mexico leads the series 82-53; the last time they played was 12/28/2024 when Lobos defeated the Rams 76-68
The New Mexico Lobos (18-4, 10-1 MWC) bring a four-game winning streak into a home showdown against the Colorado State Rams (14-7, 8-2 MWC), who have also won four straight.
Photo Courtesy of SI.com
If both teams’ histories prove correct, this will be an outstanding game between two very talented and well-coached teams at the PIT in Albuquerque.
New Mexico (18-4, 10-1 MW) sits atop the Mountain West standings, marking its best start to conference play in program history.
A win on Wednesday would make the Lobos just the eighth team in Mountain West history to start 11-1 or better in league play.
Nelly Junior Joseph, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Week, earned the honor after posting 15 points and 13 rebounds in Saturday’s 82-63 win at Utah State.
It was his third Player of the Week award this season, joining Donovan Dent (also with three) to make UNM just the third program in conference history with two players earning at least three awards in a season.
Colorado State (14-7, 8-2 MW) has won seven of its last eight games since falling to New Mexico in Fort Collins on Dec. 28 and sits one game behind the Lobos in the loss column. T
he Rams are led by Nique Clifford, who is averaging 17.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
New Mexico leads the all-time series 81-53, including a dominant 52-13 record in Albuquerque (47-6 in The Pit).
The Lobos have won the last three meetings, including this season’s matchup at Moby Arena, and are aiming for their first season sweep of the Rams since 2017-18.
Tip-off is set for 10:30 PM ET on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, and will air on Fox Sports 1. Below, we break down the odds and lines for the New Mexico vs. Colorado State matchup.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Head Lobos coach Richard Pitino had maybe the most underrated win of the weekend: a massive road win against the Aggies in Logan, Utah.
To win by double digits in Logan at the Spectrum in front of a crazy environment is very impressive, and they are alone up top in the Mountain West at 10-1
As the season progresses, key players are making their mark. For New Mexico, Donovan Dent leads the way with an impressive 19.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, shooting an efficient 50.2% from the floor.
Considering their losses from last year’s team, Coach Richard Pitino and his staff deserve much praise for such an exceptional year.
The Lobos lost three outstanding basketball players through graduation and the transfer portal (Jamal Mashburn, Jaelen House, and JT Toppin)
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Nelly Junior Joseph anchors the frontcourt, contributing 13.5 points, 1.1 assists, and 10.5 rebounds per game.
Mustapha Ambil adds another scoring threat with 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest.
Tru Washington is also a vital contributor, averaging 10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 41.5% from the field and a solid 38.4% from three-point range with 1.3 made 3-pointers per game.
C.J. Noland rounds out the Lobos’ scoring attack with 8.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. However, his shooting from beyond the arc has been slightly inconsistent (25.6%).
Photo Courtesy of CSU Athletics
His defensive play alongside Tru Washington has been awe-inspiring and helped the Lobos continue to win games.
Having watched this team all year (sports writer), it’s apparent that they have gotten better at playing together. Guard Donovan Dent and Nelly Jr Jospehs play very consistently each game.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Conversely, Colorado State’s Nique Clifford is a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 17.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 50.0% from the field and 33.7% from three with 1.6 made 3-pointers per contest.
Jalen Lake adds 12.7 points per game, while Kyan Evans contributes 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, alongside nearly a steal per game.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson also plays a vital role, posting 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 46.4% from the field.
Photo Courtesy of milehighsports.com
Although Ethan Morton is not as prolific a scorer, he contributes 3.1 points,
3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 42.1%.
Regarding team statistics, New Mexico has the edge in shooting, hitting 46.2% from the field, 4.5% higher than Colorado State allows.
When shooting above 41.7%, the Lobos are 9-6 against the spread and 15-1 straight up.
The Rams, however, are shooting 47.0% from the floor, 4.3% higher than the Lobos’ defensive average.
They are 10-7 against the spread and 14-3 straight up when shooting better than 42.7%.
The Lobos dominated the glass, averaging 36.4 rebounds per game, a 3.6-rebound advantage over the Rams.
New Mexico ranks 24th in the nation in rebounding, while Colorado State is 151st.
On offense, the Lobos outperform the Rams with 83.4 points per game, a 15.6-point advantage over what Colorado State gives up.
Meanwhile, the Rams average 74.1 points per game, just 2.1 more than the 72.0 points New Mexico allows.
This matchup promises to be a clash of styles. The Lobos’ high-powered offense and rebounding prowess will face off against the Rams’ efficient shooting and balanced scoring attack.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
It’s shaping to be a must-watch showdown in the Mountain West at the infamous PIT in Albuquerque.
We will have to give the edge to New Mexico. They defeated CSU in Fort Collins 76-58, and it’s just hard for teams to beat in one of the best venues in college basketball: the PIT.
