The Lobo men’s basketball team faced a disappointing loss to San Diego State, dimming their hopes for the tournament.
LAS VEGAS – The Lobo men’s basketball team faced a disappointing loss to San Diego State, dimming their hopes for the tournament.
The game, held in Las Vegas at the Mountain West tournament semifinals, ended with a two-point loss for New Mexico. The match was competitive, featuring 10 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than six points.
“I knew the game wasn’t over. I also knew what PJ was capable of just because, what he’s been doing all season. I didn’t want to get too high in that moment. Just wanted to, you know, come down and get a stop. But unfortunately, I didn’t,” Dayton Albury, New Mexico’s point guard.
“We knew it was going to come down to a couple plays at the end, against a really good team. And the first two games were similar in terms of, you know, one possession can go either way. And ultimately, we didn’t get that done. But, again, just really proud of our group,” said Eric Olen, New Mexico’s basketball head coach.
Missed opportunities
The Lobos struggled with inefficient performances from top scorers and missed 13 free throws, contributing to their defeat.
Luke Haupt, New Mexico forward, said, “Obviously, it hurts. You never want to miss a free throw. You never want to miss that many free throws, especially in a tie game. But, there’s so many things that we could have done better throughout the entire game.”
Despite the setback, the players remain optimistic about their future.
“We showed that we’re a competitive team. We put good basketball on the floor, a good amount of times. So if we get the call to go dancing, that would be amazing. A great experience, but, you know, if we don’t, we still have a lot to be proud of.”
The Lobos and their fans now await the announcement of their postseason fate, which will be revealed Sunday at 4 p.m.
