The Lobos are heading to the Aztecs’ stomping grounds in hope of settling a score, senior forward A.J. Hardeman said.
“It’s a big revenge game,” Hardeman said. “But just to be playing against San Diego State is going to be big for us because they’re ranked in the top 25 and I feel this is a game we need.”
The Lobos, (20-4, 6-2 MWC), fell to the Aztecs 75-70 at The Pit less than a month ago. UNM held a one-point lead going into the second half, but the Lobos fell apart and lost their first of back-to-back games that week.
“We punched first last game, but we didn’t continue to keep our focus,” Hardeman said. “We just got out of character. They got tougher, and we just let them beat up on us.”
Three days after the loss, the Lobos took another beating at the hands of UNLV and sunk to the bottom of the conference.
Five games later, UNM found itself tied with No. 13 San Diego State and No. 11 UNLV for first place.
“The league changes,” Lobo head coach Steve Alford said. “Three weeks ago, this wasn’t what the league looked like. Three weeks ago we were next to last.”
Alford said he feels confident about the road trip to San Diego, thanks to a healthy Hugh Greenwood and a defense that’s only allowed 47 points per game in the last five.
“Obviously, we feel a little more full-strength going into this game,” Alford said. “I don’t think that’s an excuse in game one. They deserved the win. They outplayed us. But I like it when our team is full boat.”
The Aztecs (20-4, 6-2 MWC) are 15-1 at home, including winners of 10 straight games after their only defeat, a two-point loss at the hands of then-No. 22 Creighton in November.
San Diego State is ranked in the top 25, and it no doubt looks to continue UNM’s losing streak against ranked opponents.
Under Alford, the Lobos won their first six games against top-25 schools, but have lost four of their last five, including three straight.
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But Alford said rankings don’t mean much.
“We’ve beaten a lot of ranked teams in the last four years and there hasn’t been a whole lot said about it,” Alford said. “It’d be nice, but it’s not something that we sit around and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to beat a ranked team.’”
Two of those losses against ranked teams came against the Aztecs and the Runnin’ Rebels three weeks ago.
Both schools are still ranked and the Lobos will get the chance to right the wrong from three weeks ago in the next three days.
“We had that one bad week and hopefully this week won’t be as bad as the last time we played those two teams,” Alford said.
Men’s Basketball vs San Diego State
San diego, Calif.
CBS Sports Network
