Lobos struggle out of gate
UNM starters have come out flat, particularly on defense
It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. But the Lobos haven’t been thrilled with how they’ve started games this season, especially the past two games, so let’s begin there.
The Lobos, say players and coaches alike, haven’t started games with much energy, especially on defense.
Through seven games,
UNM opponents are outscoring the Lobos 58-56 in what coach Craig Neal calls “the first four-minute game,” referring to the opening tip-off until the first media timeout called at the first dead ball after the 16-minute mark.
The Lobo starters have come out flat on defense,
largely setting the tone for the rest of each game. It is leading to the recent trend of needing reserve players such as Joe Furstinger and Xavier Adams to come into the game in the first half to insert some energy.
“Together, I think we have to figure out what gets us going,” junior forward Xavier Adams said after Wednesday’s win, in which he played a season-high 20 minutes, scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. “We tend to have slow starts, which isn’t New Mexico basketball at all.”
In UNM’s past two games — Sunday’s loss to Dayton in Anaheim, Calif., and Wednesday night’s win over Abilene Christian in the Pit — the Lobos were outscored 16-7 (8-0 vs. Dayton and 8-7 vs. ACU) and allowed those two opponents to shoot 50 percent from the field (those same two teams averaged 41.6 percent the rest of those two games) in the first four-minute segment.
Opponents are shooting 46.5 percent before the first media timeout against UNM and just 41.6 percent the rest of the game.
“I think it has to do with how you approach the first four minutes,” said Neal, who acknowledged his starting five hasn’t always come out and played with the energy he’d like them to. It is among the reasons he’s contemplated changes to the starting five in the past week. “That group’s got to do a better job.”
INJURY UPDATE: Starting forwards Sam Logwood (injured right quad) and Tim Williams (head injury) were held out of practice Thursday. Neal cautioned reading into either decision that the two won’t play Saturday at Illinois State. Both players from the Midwest could have family and friends on hand.
Williams was hit in the head/ neck area early in Wednesday’s game, later checked out and cleared to return to the game by a team trainer. Neal said he decided to not play Williams anyway.
Logwood, meanwhile, was unable to jump in pregame warmups Wednesday, three days after suffering a contusion in the thigh during Sunday’s loss to Dayton.
Logwood was riding a stationary bike at Thursday’s practice.
EMERALD COAST CLASSIC: The Lobos spent this Thanksgiving in California and on Thursday it was confirmed, though previously reported, that they’ll take part in next Thanksgiving weekend’s Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla.
The format of the four-game tournament allows UNM to play two home games in the Pit against predetermined lower-seeded teams between Nov. 11 and Nov. 28 and then two games in a tournament-style setting in Niceville on the campus of Northwest Florida State College on Nov. 24-25.
“It gives us two home games, and scheduling has become very difficult for us,” Neal said of the tournament.
The tournament field also will include Maryland, TCU, St. Bonaventure, Jackson State, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Nebraska-Omaha and Tennessee Tech.
UNM’s trip last week concluded a four-year contract playing in ESPN-owned tournaments, something Neal has said he’s interested in renewing for 2018-2021.
The Emerald Coast Classic is run by Global Sports and is broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
GOOD HANDS: Williams, the Lobos’ leading scorer this season (19.0 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, 62.7 percent shooting), was nominated Wednesday for the 2017 Allstate NABC Good Works Team.
The award is for standout players who also have demonstrated a desire to impact their communities.
Williams has volunteered at the UNM Children’s Hospital, Heart Gallery Stocking Stuffing and at other team-based community events.
The final Good Works Team will be announced in February.