Saying that the recent events surrounding the UNM men's basketball team slightly derailed its preparation in facing the top team in the Mountain West Conference might be an understatement.
"It's been a distraction," guard Eric Chatfield said. "Everybody - not just the media - everybody around that knows Lobo basketball, they're going to stop you and ask you what's going on."
The media frenzy that surrounded Marlon Parmer quitting the team seems to have overshadowed the Lobos' last loss - a 30-point drubbing at the hands of the University of Utah.
But the Lobos resumed practice Wednesday, and all indications are that players are attempting to put Parmer's departure behind them while keeping the blowout loss to Utah fresh in their memories.
"Getting it handed to us by Utah might have been a good thing for us," post Cody Payne said. "We thought we were prepared for them, and thought we were ready to go, but we had a bad game."
And if the Lobos (12-5, 2-1 in the Mountain West) thought they had their hands full with the perimeter-oriented Utes, who hit 12 3-pointers in their win, a trip to Wyoming University (12-4, 3-0) Saturday for a game in its famed Arena Auditorium presents a cup running over.
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The Cowboys were picked to win the conference and so far have played to that form.
The team is loaded with height, a group of big men who can not only bruise their way through the paint, but also run and gun, which is something that UNM head coach Fran Fraschilla said the Lobos would have to prevent.
"I think we've got to keep them out of transition, and we've got to keep them off the backboards, especially the offensive backboards," Fraschilla said. "We can't make it a running game; we've got to be smart in the half court, be sound defensively, take care of the ball and make shots."
Making shots is something the Lobos had a hard time with against Utah, as they connected on only 18-of-47 attempts.
Meanwhile Wyoming, which has won eight straight games and is undefeated at home this year, has never lost to a Fraschilla-led Lobo team, sweeping the series two years in a row.
The Cowboys won a close game at San Diego State University Monday and have defeated the University of Nevada at Las Vegas on its home floor as have stayed perfect in conference.
So if the Lobos are to contend for the conference crown, the road likely will go through Laramie, and that road is being guarded by the Cowboys' talented frontcourt.
"They're just a dangerous team because they have so many weapons," Fraschilla said. "Uche (Nsonwu-Amadi), Ronell Mingo and Josh Davis - they're quality big men. It's a good match-up for our young guys. They're not going to get better experience than playing against Josh Davis and Uche."
The Lobos will also have to contend with Wyoming's speedy point guard Jason Straight, who looks reckless at times, but averages 10 points and two rebounds per game.
Payne is one player eager to hit the hardwood Saturday, and said that he was brought to UNM specifically to bang with Mountain West competitors.
"I'm ready to see what they're all about," Payne said. "Maybe they'll know who Cody Payne is by the time I leave there."
But Payne is not the only fervent one.
Fraschilla said even though the Lobos have had only two games on the road this year, that relative inexperience only gives the team another obstacle to clear.
"I don't think it's going to affect us," Fraschilla said. "We've been down to New Mexico State, we've been to Cal. It's probably a good time for our team to leave town."
Game time is set for 4 p.m. Saturday and will be televised on KRQE-13 in Albuquerque. It can also be heard on 770-KKOB a.m.
