There was a familiar apathy in Provident Credit Union Event Center during San Jose State’s 95-75 loss to No. 25 New Mexico. SJSU fans schlepped their way out minutes before the game concluded. The Spartans hung their heads low on the bench. The school’s band provided a dreary backdrop after the blowout loss.
Now left needing to go 8-4 to be eligible for the CBI, SJSU must use lessons from Wednesday’s loss to New Mexico to save its season.
“We know at the end of the day we still are a team that people fear,” SJSU’s Myron “MJ” Amey said.
📹 recap of tonight's game against New Mexico.
Welcome back students!#AllSpartans pic.twitter.com/zxwqelI5kU
— San Jose State Men’s Basketball (@SanJoseStateMBB) January 25, 2024
Now, SJSU (8-11, 1-5 MW) shouldn’t have been expected to win.
Recently, in an appearance on CBS Sports, college basketball pundit Jon Rothstein felt the Lobos could win the Mountain West and had the “highest ceiling” in the conference.
On top of that, the Lobos score the most points per game (86.3) in the Mountain West. The Spartans, meanwhile, allow the third most points per game (72.8) in the conference.
Bad matchup. Great team. That spells disaster.
So SJSU fans shouldn’t be flummoxed by what transpired in the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Tuesday.
But for the first time in conference play, the Spartans turned the ball over at an unreasonably high rate. SJSU had 18 turnovers which UNM turned into 25 points.
SJSU head coach Tim Miles called the Lobos’11 steals “an insane number.”
And really, for the first time all season, the talent disparity was completely evident.
UNM’s vaunted backcourt of Jaelen House (18 points), Jamal Mashburn Jr. (17 points) and Donovan Dent (17 points) torched the Spartans.
Dent now with 17 points as UNM leads 63-52 with 12:13 to play. #GoLobos
📺 @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/YvU3HtN9rU
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) January 25, 2024
On one play in the first half, House laced a series of crossover dribbles at light speed before stepping back and knocking a jump shot over SJSU’s Trey Anderson despite his velcro-like defense.
Then on one second-half play, Amey sprinted the length of the court, and dove for a ball, his body screeching loudly, only for a Lobo to snatch it and heave it the other way for a Dent layup.
The game was littered with similar plays. Where no matter what SJSU did, no matter how much effort was exerted, it just wasn’t enough.
What must be remembered is that SJSU is by no means hapless.
Amey scored 24 points and despite a poor shooting night, Alvaro Cardenas dished 10 assists. Cardenas entered Tuesday’s matchup ranked 24th and 17th in Division I in assists and per game (5.9) and assist/turnover ratio (3.42).
Although the game devolved into a blowout, the Spartans at least made it competitive. With 6:12 left, following a breezy dunk by Trey Anderson (eight points), the Spartans cut the deficit to 75-66.
Then came a flurry of points and eventually Miles talking about the importance of a “growth mindset” in his press conference.
“I always talk about having an attitude that craves improvement. So if you won five in a row you just worry about getting better and if you lost five in a row you just worry about getting better, “Miles said.
But is this just what the rest of the season will look like? Where SJSU proves it’s good but not good enough?
Miles should hope not.
Game after game, however, his preseason concerns about NIL and the transfer portal leaving SJSU behind are coming to fruition.
UNM is one of seven Mountain West schools with a collective to “have reported annual NIL budgets for men’s basketball over $400,000,” according to the SF Chronicle.
The other six?
Colorado State, Wyoming, Nevada, Boise State, San Diego State and UNLV. Three of those teams – Colorado State, Nevada and UNLV – SJSU will face over its next five games.
But even if there’s a reason to, SJSU can’t approach games feeling like victims of its circumstance. For now, all it can do is prepare to beat UNLV this Saturday.
“How do you eat an elephant?” pondered Miles.
“One bite at a time,” he answered.
