New Mexico Lobos vs. San Jose State Spartans Prediction
Game: New Mexico Lobos vs. San Jose State Spartans
Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Time: 8 MST 7 PST
Location: Provident Credit Union Event Center, San Jose, CA
TV: Mountain West Network
Radio: Lobo Sports Network
On Tuesday, the San Jose State Spartans (8-10) will try to defeat the New Mexico Lobos (14-3) at the Provident Credit Union Event Center.
Lobos Look to Maintain Momentum in Battle Against Spartans
The New Mexico men’s basketball team (14-3, 6-0 MW) is fired up and ready to defend their perfect conference record as they take on the San Jose State Spartans (8-10, 1-5 MW) this Tuesday night.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. MT (7 p.m. PT) at the electrifying Provident Credit Union Event Center.
New Mexico (14-3, 6-0 MW) has posted its best Mountain West start ever and is 6-0 in conference play for the first time since 1977-78 when it opened WAC play 10-0.
After leading the Lobos to wins at Wyoming and over San Diego State, Donovan Dent is the reigning Mountain West Player of the Week.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
He remains the only player in the nation averaging 19 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
San Jose State (8-10, 1-5 MW) is coming off a 69-62 win at Air Force on Saturday. The Spartans, who are 3-5 at home this season, are led in scoring by Josh Uduje, who averages 16.7 points per game.
Fans can catch all the Mountain West Network and Lobo Radio Network action.
San Jose State prepares to host New Mexico following a strong performance by Will McClendon, who dropped 20 points in the Spartans’ 69-62 victory over Air Force.
The Spartans have struggled at home this season, posting a 3-5 record on their home court.
Close games have also been unkind to San Jose State, as they are 0-1 in contests decided by three points or fewer.
Meanwhile, the Lobos are riding high with an impeccable 6-0 record in Mountain West Conference play.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
This is their first time starting 6-0 since the legendary 1977-78 season when they went 10-0 in WAC play, and they’re determined to keep the streak going.
Leading the charge is Donovan Dent, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Week, who has been dominating the court with stellar performances against the Mountain West’s Conference best defenses this year.
With impressive averages of 19 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, Dent has quickly become an indispensable force for the Lobos.
New Mexico’s offensive flow has been crucial to its success. With 16.6 assists per game, it ranks third in the league.
Despite opposing teams focusing their defensive efforts on Donovan Dent and 6-9 forward Nelly Jr. Joseph, the Lobos’ bench has been a crucial factor in their success over the last four games.
Courtesy of UNM Athletics
One huge factor in this writer’s opinion is the post-play of Mustapha Amzil, who has also picked up the physical post-defense and rebounded.
This writer really believes that Amzil is so important to the Lobos this year as he takes a lot of the attention off big Lobo post Nelly Jr Joseph teams in terms of both his ability to shoot the three and play physically in the post.
He had 11 rebounds against San Diego State which traditionally are one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the MWC.
Role players like Tru Washington, Flip Borovicanin, CJ Noland, Jovan Milicevic, Brayden Appelhans, and Kayde Dotson have consistently delivered productive minutes, giving head coach Richard Pitino valuable depth and impact off the bench.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Fresh off a gritty 62-48 victory over San Diego State in Albuquerque, the Lobos demonstrated that grit and intensity are key to their success.
Despite shooting only 35.8% from the field, they leaned heavily on their relentless defense and physical style of play to grind out the win.
Outrebounding the Aztecs 51-35 and snatching 13 offensive boards, they also forced 14 turnovers, which showcased their defensive prowess.
Dent stood out with 16 points and five assists, while Jaelen House added 12 points and two steals, nailing down a cohesive team effort.
The Lobos’ defense was suffocating, limiting San Diego State to 35.4% shooting and only five made three-pointers.
This season, the Lobos are among the nation’s elite scoring teams, averaging an impressive 84.0 points per game, ranking 23rd in Division I.
They’re not just scoring; they’re dishing out assists with flair, averaging 16.6 assists per game (40th nationally), and dominating the boards with 40.2 rebounds per game.
Defensively, the Lobos have been a nightmare for opponents, forcing an impressive 16.1 turnovers per game while holding teams to just 43.4% shooting.
A key factor for head coach Richard Pitino has been the team’s ability to elevate their defensive intensity to complement their fast-paced, high-powered offense—an approach that has been instrumental in their winnings.
Will the Lobos continue winning, or can the Spartans shake off their recent struggles and pull off an upset?
This should be an exciting game for fans, with San Jose hoping to give it their best effort to pull the upset and show they belong with one of the Mountain West’s premier teams this year.
Photo Courtesy of San Jose State Athletics
The Lobos must stay focused to avoid a letdown on the road, but it’s hard to imagine that happening with so much on the line.
With a pivotal matchup against Boise State looming on January 17 at The Pit, New Mexico has every reason to stay locked in.
Expect the Lobos to continue proving to the rest of the Mountain West that they’re a force to be reckoned with this season.
After reloading from last year’s talented squad that captured the Mountain West Conference Championship in Las Vegas, this team looks ready to make another statement.
Photo Courtesy of San Jose State Athletics
The Spartans are coming off a 69-62 victory over Air Force, marking their first Mountain West (MW) win and first road win of the season.
Notably, five of San José State’s six conference games this season have been decided by seven points or fewer, demonstrating how competitive their outings have been.
This sets the stage for the Lobos to face a determined and hungry Spartan team, eager to secure another win.
However, the Lobos seem to have the upper hand, boasting a deep roster with too many weapons for San José State to handle.
The Lobo defense must not Will McClendon to go off on them and score over 20 points as he did the last game.
The Spartans will need to contend with a variety of Lobos’ role players who are hitting their stride as the season progresses.
