For the first time in Head Coach Paul Weir’s tenure with the New Mexico Lobos (0-0, 3-0) his team has started the season 3-0. Now, they have a chance to finish out the opening homestand 4-0 when the McNeese State Cowboys (0-0, 1-3) visit Dreamstyle Arena on Saturday.
After double-digit wins in each of their first three games, the Lobos will look to carry that momentum into the next game of the Legends Classic. Redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle will lead the way coming off of a career-high 31 point performance against Green Bay on Wednesday night. Carlton Bragg also had a standout performance, logging the first double-double of the season for the Lobos.
With five players currently averaging double-digit points per game, the Lobos as a team sit 11th in the nation in scoring (94.0 points per game). Lyle gives the team another advantage with his vision of the court. Now with 21 assists on the season, he sits 15th in the nation in assists per game.
The Cowboys come into the weekend after a twenty point loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in their first game of the Legends Classic, falling 83-63. The loss was their third of the season on the road so far, and the outlook doesn’t get any better against the Lobos.
They will turn to leading scorer Dru Kuxhaussen (15.0) in hopes of upsetting the Lobos on their home court. It will take more than the junior though to overcome the defense of the Lobos. On the season, McNeese is averaging 78 points per game while the Lobos are only allowing 73. The Cowboys have a trio of players averaging over 4.5 rebounds per game, which could be where they work their way into a win. Preventing the Cowboys from getting second chances on the offensive end should ensure another Lobo victory.
The game will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday, for free, on the Mountain West Network (themw.com/watch). The game will also be broadcast live on 770 KKOB-AM.
