New Mexico Lobos vs Boise State Broncos
Game: Boise State Broncos vs New Mexico Lobos
Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Time: 8:00 MT 10 EST
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Venue: Boise Idaho
Radio: Lobo Sports Network, Rob Portnoy/Hunter Green
TV: CBS Sports Network
THE SERIES: New Mexico leads 15-12
New Mexico leads the all-time series 15-12, but the Broncos are 8-4 in Boise, including winning six straight since the Lobos’ last road win in the series in 2017.
UNM won the first meeting, 84-65, on Jan. 17 at The Pit, fueled by a 23-2 run to conclude the first half.
Game Details:
The New Mexico Lobos coached by Richard Pitino are riding an eight-game winning streak, will take on the Boise State Broncos in a crucial Mountain West Conference matchup.
Video Courtesy of UNM Athletics
With a 14-1 record in conference play, the Lobos aim to cement their position at the top of the MWC standings.
At the same time, the Broncos are eager to rebound from their recent defeat and enhance their NCAA Tournament prospects.
So one team is driven to win an outright Conference Championship and one team is determined to get into the Big Dance to be a part of “March Madness” Some team out of these two has to come out on top!
Betting Insights:
- Against the Spread (ATS): Boise State is 12-12-0, and New Mexico is 13-12-0.
- Over/Under: Both teams have seen 12 games over the total this season.
- Recent Performance: Over their last 10 games, Boise State has covered the spread 7 times with a 6-4 record, whereas New Mexico has covered 6 times with an impressive 9-1 record.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Both teams have seen 12 of their games hit the over. Over the last 10 contests, Boise State has covered the spread 7 times, boasting a 6-4 overall record, while New Mexico has covered the spread 6 times and holds an impressive 9-1 overall record.
The Lobos are riding high on their winning streak and aim to solidify their lead at the top of the MWC standings.
They hope to maintain this Lobo momentum and finish strong as they seek to capture a Mountain West Conference Championship.
Last year, head coach Richard Pitino’s Lobos won a conference tournament championship by defeating San Diego State 68-61 in Las Vegas.
On the other hand, the Broncos are looking to bounce back from a recent loss and climb the standings as they fight to keep their postseason hopes alive in the big dance.
Key players to watch include New Mexico’s leading scorer, Donovan Dent, who is making a strong case for MWC Player of the Year.
Still, it’s not even close when one looks at his consistent numbers each game. This guy is that good! He has a knack for making so many clutch shots at the right time for this Lobo basketball team.
Tru Washington game was a standout performer on Sunday, leading the team with 25 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
He turned some heads with his ability to play lockdown defense, usually against the opponent’s best offensive guards in the Mountain West Conference.
Washington’s clutch 3-pointer sealed the win, putting New Mexico up 80-76 with just 9.4 seconds remaining.
He was rewarded for his play as the MWC player of the week. For the fourth week in a row, the Mountain West Player of the Week award was claimed by a UNM Lobo basketball team member this year.
Photo Courtesy of Boise State Athletics
Donovan Dent, a leading contender for MWC Player of the Year, also made a significant impact with 23 points, three assists, three blocks, and two steals.
Dent has shown as the best guard in the Mountain West Conference and the country, being named to the 2024-25 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Midseason Team.
Dent is one of 30 players named to the team as contenders for the award, which is annually given to the nation’s top player.
For Boise State, Tyson Degenhart and Alvaro Cardenas Torre will be crucial in containing Dent and challenging the red-hot Lobos.
Tru Washington, who excels defensively and is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, scored a career-high 25 points against Utah State in the PIT, adding to the Broncos’ challenge.
Tru Washington’s recent performance will force the Broncos to choose between him and Donovan Dent.
The growing contributions from the Lobo bench, improving both offensive and defensive play at critical moments, have been the perfect ingredients for the UNM Lobo Basketball program’s success.
The San Diego State Aztecs recently defeated Boise State 64-47 at Viejas Arena. The Aztecs’ solid defense effectively neutralized Broncos point guard Alvaro Cardenas, limiting him to eight points and three assists.
Watch for Lobo head coach Richard Pitino to duplicate this strategy with defensive-minded Tru Washington.
Despite the loss, Cardenas, who averages 11.9 points and 6.7 assists per game, broke Boise State’s single-season assists record.
In January, Cardenas scored nine points and contributed six assists in the Aztecs’ 76-68 victory.
“He only had three assists tonight, and that’s due to switching everything, keeping a body in front of him so he couldn’t get into the paint and create shots for his teammates,” said Dutcher. “And he’s a very good player.
“I told the team before the game that (Patrick) Mahomes is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he turned the ball over three times against the Eagles because of pressure.
I said, ‘Cardenas is Mahomes. We must press, pressure, and make life difficult for him.’ And I think we did a pretty good job.”
Following the loss, Boise State dropped to No. 48 in the NCAA NET Rankings. With a record of 0-5 against teams above them in the MWC standings, the Broncos will likely need to win the MWC Tournament title to secure a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
The victory elevated San Diego State to No. 50 in the NET rankings. The Aztecs are currently on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble.
In his latest NCAA Tournament projection, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had New Mexico and Utah State listed as nine seeds, while San Diego State was among the last four teams included in 68.
The Aztecs are tied with Colorado State for third in the MWC. The Rams recently defeated Wyoming (11-15, 4-11) in a commanding 88-53 victory on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory over Utah State, the Lobos basketball team made significant strides toward capturing the Mountain West Conference title with a thrilling win over Utah State on Sunday afternoon.
Despite being down by six points at halftime and trailing by 10 early in the second half, the Lobos mounted a remarkable comeback to secure an 82-79 win at The Pit.
This victory completed a season sweep of the Aggies. Earlier this month, They had beaten Utah State in Logan, 82-63.
Photo Courtesy of Boise State Athletics
This without starters Mustapha Amzil, nursing an injury planter plantar fasciitis, and CJ Noland, who took a shot to the head on an offensive foul in the first half against the Aggies.
The status of both injured players for the upcoming game against the Broncos remains uncertain as of this writing. In my opinion, their availability might come down to a game-time decision.
With five regular-season games left, New Mexico (22-4, 14-1) holds a two-game lead over Utah State (22-4, 12-3) in the MWC standings.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Colorado State (16-9, 10-4), San Diego State (17-6, 10-4), and Boise State (17-8, 9-5) are next in line, each fighting for being included in the Big Dance.
This game is crucial for Boise State as it seeks to rise in the Mountain West Conference for postseason play in the big dance.
After a recent loss to San Diego State, the Broncos must overcome a formidable challenge to secure a top-three seed in the conference tournament.
The Lobos aim for their first MWC regular-season title since the 2012-13 season, while Utah State is the reigning champions.
Players to Watch
Boise State
- Tyson Degenhart: Leads the team with 17.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and averages 1.5 assists. Defensively, he contributes 0.4 steals and 0.2 blocks.
- Alvaro Cardenas Torre: Leads the Broncos in assists with 6.6 per game and averages 3.0 rebounds and 11.9 points. He’s eight in college basketball for assists.
- Andrew Meadow: Posts 11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game, shooting 46.5% from the field and 34.0% from beyond the arc, making 1.4 three-pointers per game.
New Mexico
- Donovan Dent: Top scorer for the Lobos with 19.7 points per game, and averages 6.3 assists (10th in college basketball) and 2.6 rebounds.
- Nelly Junior Joseph Leads the team with 10.7 rebounds per game and averages 13.7 points and 1.2 assists, shooting 54.6% from the floor.
- Tru Washington: Averages 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, shooting 43.8% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc, making 1.5 three-pointers per game.
- Mustapha Amzil averages 12.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
There is no question that the Broncos have one of the best players in the MWC, Tyson Degenhart, a great guard player in Cardenas, and a blue-collar player, Andrew Meadow, who reminds me of a poor man Kurt Rambis before he cut his hair!
Credit: Gregory Bull AP Images
I believe the Lobos will triumph over Boise State. The Lobos possess an arsenal of offensive talents: the best guard (Dent), the best post player (Nelly Jr. Joseph), the rapidly improving Tru Washington, and a deep bench.
New Mexico has won eight consecutive games and 15 of their last 16, while Boise State saw their four-game winning streak end with a significant loss in their most recent match.
Boise State typically holds one of the top defenses in the nation, averaging just 65.7 points allowed per game.
However, they conceded 84 points in a 19-point loss to New Mexico earlier this season, where the Lobos shot over 54% from the field.
The Broncos are likely to slow the game’s pace, ranking 300th in the nation for possessions per game. Even though they allowed San Diego State to shoot over 54% in their last game, they managed to limit them to 64 points.
While New Mexico should have a decent shooting performance, they won’t dominate the scoreboard.
Boise State is expected to struggle offensively as they did in their last encounter with the Lobos.
This will be an exciting college basketball game from a viewer’s perspective. Boise State will undoubtedly be motivated to prove its worth to the bracketologists and secure its spot in the Big Dance.
However, I think the Lobos’ relentless up-tempo offensive play and strong defensive performance will wear down Boise State.