New Mexico Lobos host Wyoming Cowboys at the PIT
Game: Wyoming Cowboys vs. New Mexico Lobos
Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2024
Time: 8:00 MT 10 EST
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Venue: The PIT
Radio: Lobo Sports Network, Rob Portnoy/Hunter Green
TV: FS1
THE SERIES: New Mexico leads 81-72
Lobos Look to Extend Winning Streak Against Struggling Wyoming
Albuquerque, N.M. — The New Mexico Lobos (20-4, 12-1 MWC) will host the Wyoming Cowboys (11-13, 4-9 MWC) in a Mountain West Conference clash at The Pit on Wednesday night.
In a Mountain West showdown Wednesday night in The Pit, New Mexico hosts Wyoming in a battle of teams trending in opposite directions.
The Lobos, sitting atop the conference standings, have won six straight, including a victory over the Cowboys earlier this season.
Meanwhile, Wyoming enters the matchup on a three-game skid, looking to turn things around in Albuquerque.
The Lobos are riding a six-game winning streak and currently sit atop the Mountain West standings.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Donovan Dent’s 25 points led them to victory against the Falcons and a monster 21-rebound performance from Nelly Junior Joseph, who helped seal the deal against Air Force.
The MWC conference announced Monday that New Mexico’s Nelly Junior Joseph has been named Mountain West Player of the Week for the second straight time, as he continues his dominance in the post for UNM.
His dominant performances helped keep the Lobos atop the conference standings, earning him his fourth weekly honor.
With this latest recognition, the Lobos have secured a program record of seven Mountain West Player of the Week awards this season.
Besides Joseph’s four, Donovan Dent has earned the honor three times. Donovan Dent is a hands-on favorite for the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year at the rate he is going.
New Mexico is just the third team in Mountain West history to have two players claim at least three awards in a season, joining 2010-11 San Diego State (Malcolm Thomas, Kawhi Leonard) and 2018-19 Nevada (Jordan Caroline, Caleb Martin).
Photo Courtesy of University of Wyoming Athletics
What’s been impressive about the surging Lobos is their strong team chemistry at the right time and the outstanding contributions from their bench
New Mexico Not Just Winning but Winning Big
New Mexico has been nearly unbeatable at home, boasting a 12-1 record while averaging 83.7 points per game—good for 16th in the nation.
New Mexico is on a six-game win streak, winning five by double digits and averaging a 25-point margin.
Their latest victory was an 88-53 road blowout over winless Air Force, shooting 47.1% while holding the Falcons to 31.5%.
Donovan Dent led with 25 points, and Nelly Junior Joseph dominated with 14 points and 21 rebounds.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
The Lobos easily covered as 15.5-point favorites and have covered five of their last six.
UNM leads the MWC (12-1) and is 20-4 overall. They rank 16th nationally in scoring (83.7 ppg) while allowing 70.9 ppg.
Dent (19.6 ppg) scored 25 last game, while Joseph (13.8 ppg, 11 rpg) ranks fourth nationally in rebounding, averaging 17.3 ppg and 16 rpg over the last four games.
Photo Courtesy of Larry Brown Sports
Wyoming averages 68.3 ppg but has struggled offensively during its three-game skid, managing just 61.7 ppg.
In their last game, a 68-57 home loss to UNLV, they shot 42.4% overall and a weak 19% from three, while allowing the Rebels to shoot 46% and 37.5% from deep.
Photo Courtesy of University of Wyoming Athletics
Obi Agbim led with 14 points, while Cole Henry added 10. The Cowboys, now 11-13 (4-9 in conference), failed to cover as 2-point underdogs after covering their previous three games.
Defensively, they allow 70.4 ppg. Agbim (17.6 ppg) is their top scorer and recently missed a game due to injury.
Jordan Nesbitt (8.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) struggled last game, shooting 25%, and has a season FG% of 33. Henry (5.8 ppg) has 18 points over the last two games. Wyoming is 3-6 on the road.
The Cowboys most recently fell to UNLV, 68-57, at home despite 14 points from Obi Agbim.
Offensively, the Cowboys have struggled to keep up with high-scoring teams, averaging 68.3 points per game while allowing 70.4.
Their road struggles are also a concern, as they are just 3-6 away from Laramie, so it’s the classic David & Goliath matchup with a surging Lobo team in the PIT.
The last time these teams met, on January 8, New Mexico overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to secure a 61-53 road win.
The Lobos shot just 33.3% in that game but held Wyoming to an even lower 32.3%. This time, playing in front of their home crowd, New Mexico will look to assert dominance from the opening tip.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Key Players to Watch
- New Mexico: Donovan Dent leads the Lobos with 19.6 points and 6.5 assists per game.
- Nelly Junior Joseph (13.8 PPG, 11 RPG) is fourth in the nation in rebounding. He has been dominant in recent games, averaging 17.3 points and 16 boards over the last four contests.
- CJ Noland (Guard, #0): A senior guard from Waxahachie, Texas, Noland provides veteran leadership and contributes significantly on both ends of the court.
- Tru Washington (Guard, #3): A sophomore guard from Phoenix, Arizona, Washington has been a consistent performer, adding depth to the backcourt.
- Wyoming: Obi Agbim paces the Cowboys with 17.6 points per game and is shooting 44.4% from beyond the arc, the best mark in the Mountain West.
- Jordan Nesbitt contributes 8.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game but has struggled with efficiency, shooting just 33% from the field.
By the Numbers
- Scoring: New Mexico ranks first in the Mountain West and 16th nationally at 83.7 PPG. Wyoming ranks near the bottom of the conference, averaging 68.3 PPG.
- Defense: New Mexico allows 70.9 PPG, while Wyoming concedes 70.4 PPG.
- Rebounding: The Lobos rank 10th nationally with 40.8 rebounds per game, while Wyoming struggles at just 29.2 RPG in its last 10 contests.
Series History
Wyoming trails the all-time series against New Mexico 81-72. The Lobos have won four of the last five meetings, including their January road win in Laramie.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Game Outlook
New Mexico enters this matchup as the heavy favorite, especially given their dominance at home and Wyoming’s offensive struggles.
The Cowboys will need a strong defensive effort and a standout performance from Agbim to keep this game competitive.
However, if the Lobos play up to their recent form, they should have no trouble extending their win streak and maintaining their position atop the Mountain West.
Look for the Lobos to roll again in one of the hardest Venue in NCAA Basketball, the PIT on Fox Sports 1. Lots of the players will get some action in late in the game, just to many weapons for this Richard Pitino team.