In front of a sold out home crowd on Saturday, Feb. 28, the Lobo men’s basketball team faced off against San Diego State University Aztecs in a game that went down to the wire, ending in a 81-76 win for the Lobos.
The University of New Mexico was led by forward Tomislav Buljan, who had his way with the Aztecs all day. Buljan had a double-double, dropping a team-leading 24 points while grabbing 18 rebounds.
Coming off a loss to another Mountain West foe, the University of Nevada, Reno Wolfpack, Lobo Head Coach Eric Olen said every game near the end of the season is important.
“We’re competing for Mountain West regular season (championship), our team is on the NCAA bubble, there (are) seeding implications relative for the Mountain West conference tournament, all the things we’re playing for are still there for us,” Olen said. “Even through some of the disappointments, this league is a grind, nobody’s running through it undefeated and your ability to bounce back and show a little resilience is crucial in this conference.”
The game saw a less than ideal start for the Lobos, who were being out paced and out hustled by the Aztecs, forcing them to play catch up early on. With momentum swinging in the Aztecs’ direction, the Lobos decided to kick into gear towards the end of the half, going on a tear, creating their own momentum while knocking San Diego State down a peg. Despite a rocky start, the Lobos only found themselves down by one going into halftime 37-36.
The second half of the game was all gas with no breaks from both teams. The Lobos rode the momentum they created at the end of the first half, causing fits on both sides of the court for the Aztecs, looking in control for most of the half. San Diego State didn’t plan to go away so easily however, keeping it close as the half went on.
In the waning minutes of the game, the Lobos scored clutch baskets from guards Uriah Tenette, Jake Hall and Luke Haupt. Each shot felt like it came exactly when the Lobos needed it. Haupt’s shot in particular landed when the game was tied at 74 apiece in the final minute. Haupt drilled a three to give the Lobos a 77-74 lead that was just enough for UNM to close out the game in the end despite a final push by San Diego State.
After the win, the Lobos still remain on the bubble of the NCAA tournament and are sitting in second place — tied with the Aztecs — in the Mountain West conference. The Lobos will remain at home for their next game when they take on the Colorado State University Rams on Wednesday, March 4.
“Our guys should be confident that they know and feel that when we play good basketball, that we can get a win, get a result, on any given night,” Olen said.
Rodney Prunty is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @rprunty05
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