The Lobos walked into Viejas Arena on Tuesday night looking to cement their grip on the Mountain West, but the San Diego State Aztecs had other plans. Behind a smothering defense and timely scoring runs, the Aztecs handed the Lobos a 73-65 loss, extending their own home win streak to five games. Despite the setback, New Mexico (22-6, 14-3 MW) remains atop the conference standings, while San Diego State (19-7, 12-5 MW) continues to surge down the stretch.
Dent Shines, But Lobos Struggle from the Field
Sophomore guard Donovan Dent put on another stellar performance, pouring in a game-high 26 points while dishing out seven assists. Jovan Milicevic provided a much-needed spark off the bench, tallying a conference-best 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep. But beyond those two, offensive struggles plagued New Mexico all night, as the team shot just 34.4% from the field—its second-worst shooting performance of the season.
On the glass, Nelly Junior Joseph was dominant, hauling in 16 rebounds. His sixth game this season with at least 15 boards pushed him past the 300-rebound mark, making him just the 15th Lobo in program history to achieve that feat.
How the Game Unfolded
The Aztecs set the tone early, jumping out to a 10-5 lead in the opening minutes before New Mexico clawed back to take a brief 16-13 advantage behind Milicevic’s hot shooting. The lead changed hands multiple times throughout the first half, but a late SDSU push saw the Lobos trailing 33-29 at halftime.
San Diego State came out firing in the second half, stretching the lead to double digits within the first four minutes. Though New Mexico fought back, trimming the deficit to five midway through the half, the Aztecs responded with an 8-0 run that all but sealed the game. The Lobos made one last push, cutting it to six with five minutes to play, but SDSU’s physical defense proved too much down the stretch.
Lobo Notes & Key Takeaways
- Back-to-Back Losses: This marks the first time all season that New Mexico has dropped consecutive games.
- Dent’s Scoring Prowess: Dent recorded his sixth 25+ point game of the season, the most by a Lobo since Jamal Mashburn Jr. in 2021-22.
- Defensive Slippage: Head coach Richard Pitino noted that the team’s defense has regressed in recent games, a concern heading into the final stretch of the season.
Pitino’s Perspective
“They are an elite defensive team,” Pitino said postgame. “We cut it to four twice and missed a couple of shots to get it closer. Their size and physicality bothered us. It was tough because offensively, only Donovan and Jovan were making shots. In the last two games, our defense has taken a step back. We have to get back to what got us in this place—22-6 and 14-3, leading the conference. We control our own destiny.”
What’s Next?
The Lobos will look to bounce back at home on Saturday when they take on Air Force in a crucial noon matchup. With just three regular-season games remaining, every possession matters as New Mexico aims to solidify its place atop the Mountain West.