After dropping 88-53 against New Mexico this February, the Air Force Falcons will continue with their NCAA basketball campaign this weekend with an away fixture against the Lobos. The Falcons are determined to exert revenge against the Lobos, hoping to correct the mistakes they made during their last encounter. However, the Falcons will need to improve on the offense after struggling massively during their last game at home, shooting 30% from the three-point range and 32% from the field.
So, can the weak Falcons manage to bounce back against the table leaders New Mexico Lobos on the road after losing their first game this year at Clune Arena? Here is a preview of how the Air Force Falcons are expected to perform against New Mexico on Saturday, 1st March 2024.
Can the Falcons fix their past mistakes to dominate New Mexico?
The AFC is currently shooting 40% from the field in its current NCAA basketball campaign, although it has struggled to yield impressive results this year. The Falcons opened their 2025 campaign with a 58-77 against UNLV on 1st January, followed by consecutive losses against Wyoming, San Diego, San Jose, Fresno State, Utah State, and CO State. Their lackluster performance saw them finish January without any wins, with their first victory in 2025 coming against Fresno State in February.
While the Falcons lost all their basketball games in January, they managed to exert their revenge against Fresno State at home after losing their first match 74-65 away. That has bolstered their confidence ahead of their second game with New Mexico, although they will need to make significant improvements to their offense to take an early lead and ride it to a win. As such, they will need players like Sophomore forward Luke Kearney and freshman Will Cooper to be on top of their game to stand a chance to challenge New Mexico this weekend.
Best bets for New Mexico vs Air Force Falcons
Looking at their previous conference encounter in February, betting experts predict New Mexico will cover the spread. These two teams are also expected to finish this fixture below the 145.5 total. However, betting experts recommend punters compare reviews and ratings of leading online sites on SportyTrader to get the best odds on these selections.
How New Mexico is expected to perform against the Falcons
With two weeks remaining in the Mountain West Conference NCAA basketball regular season, the New Mexico Lobos are favored to win the title, and for good reason. The Lobos had an eight-game winning streak ahead of their game with Boise State, but their loss put their position at stake as Colorado State and San Diego State hope to claim the MWC regular season title. That makes every win critical to their campaign, including clinching a victory this weekend against the AFC after facing the Aztecs on the road.
The Lobos crashed the Falcons during their first meeting at the Clune Arena, despite sophomore Luke Kearney giving AFC a 12-point head start early in the game. As such, New Mexico is confident they will win this fixture against AFC as they haven’t lost a home game since December. However, it’s recommended to browse SportyTrader to find reliable sportsbooks with the best odds for this fixture before betting on New Mexico to win.