Defending conference champion? Check. One senior on a freshmen-stocked roster? Check.
Dominate at home? Check.
Is it UNM? No.
The UNM men’s basketball team (2-0) takes its show to the Bay Area for its first road game of the season against California (1-0). At first glance, the Golden Bears seem so similar that the Lobos look to be playing themselves.
But looks can be deceiving.
Head coach Steve Alford said his team will maintain the defensive pressure that frustrated Detroit Mercy and Arizona State shooters during UNM’s first two wins at The Pit.
“We have to guard,” Alford said. “We are 2-0 right now because of what our guys are doing defensively.”
The Lobos held their first two opponents to 30 and 40 percent field-goal shooting.
Guard Dairese Gary will have another tough matchup against Cal’s best player, Jorge Gutierrez.
“In my mind, Jorge is outstanding,” Alford said. “He is one of the better guards we’ll play against all year. I think he is terrific.”
Gutierrez runs the Golden Bears’ point position and is a defensive threat: He was named to last season’s Pac-10 All-Defensive team. However, Gutierrez is ready to lead his team offensively. He posted a career-high 18 points and added eight assists in Cal’s season-opening 80-63 win over Cal State Northridge.
Like the Lobos, Cal is young and looking to fill holes. Gutierrez is the Bears’ lone starter from last year’s Pac-10 championship team.
“It’s hard to tell just how good they are,” Alford said. “We know they are going to play extremely hard, and they are really good. But a lot of their personnel is new.”
Freshman guard Allen Crabbe is expected to have a breakout season for the Bears.
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Crabbe was the 2010 California Gatorade Player of the Year and Parade All-American. He scored just eight points in his regular-season college debut, but dropped 22 in an exhibition win over Sonoma State.
Freshman Gary Franklin had 17 points in the exhibition game, but finished with seven in the regular-season game.
The Lobos will rely on their freshmen group, particularly guards Kendall Williams and Tony Snell, to counter any burst Cal’s young guys bring.
Cal takes the height advantage, but not by much.
The Bears have two forwards standing 6-feet 10-inches, but their starting center is 6-foot-7-inch senior Markhuri Sanders-Frison.
UNM’s A.J. Hardeman and Alex Kirk, expected to share the duties inside, are taller than Cal’s center.
Gary said he is mentoring the young players on what it’s like to play on the road in a hostile arena.
“I told them and coach told them that after Arizona State,” Gary said. “It’s time to focus on Cal because it’s going to be a big one.”
One thing is for certain: Cal is tough at home.
The Golden Bears won 28 of their last 30 nonconference home games at Haas Pavilion.
Bears head coach Mike Montgomery is 31-3 at Haas and Cal went 15-1 at home last year, losing in overtime to UCLA.
“I can talk about road trips all I want, but until you go through it, you just don’t know,” Alford said. “You hope that you are building toughness in practice and you remind them about toughness. Playing on the road is about toughness, mentally and physically. I’m anxious to see how they handle it.”
As for junior guard Phillip McDonald, Alford said he is expected to play after suffering a partially torn ligament in his elbow during the Lobos’ 107-62 exhibition victory over Manchester College.
