LOBOS VS. AZTECS
New Mexico is at San Diego State today
SAN DIEGO — Steve Fisher knows what they’re saying around the Mountain West. And he loves it. Despite being one of two teams that have dominated the conference title conversation over the past seven seasons, the Aztecs (17-6, 10-0 MWC) are a team viewed by many onlookers as being rather fortunate to be in the position they are in — 2 ½ games ahead of the second-place UNM Lobos (14-8, 7-2 MWC) heading into today’s showdown in Viejas Arena.
The reason for the general sentiment for those outside the SDSU program is simple to see. The Aztecs, who were 5-6 against Division I teams in nonconference play, including losses to San Diego in a baseball stadium and home losses to Arkansas Little-Rock and Grand Canyon University, have won four league games decided by one possession and a fifth that was pushed to overtime.
Tuesday night, it was a 69-67 home win over Colorado State in a game in which the Rams missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
“I told our players after the game that people
that watched it in our league, everyone roots against the team that’s on top,” Fisher said. “That they’re all saying, ‘You’re lucky. You’re lucky.’ And I’m saying, ‘You’re good. You’re good.’ And luck is fascinated with the efficient.”
It’s true, luck does seem to gravitate toward teams that simply find ways to win. Or is it the other way around? Truth is, it doesn’t matter. “I’m smart enough to know that there’s not a whole lot of separation in a lot of these games we’ve had ... but good teams find ways, and we’ve done that,” Fisher added. “And I hope we can continue to do that.”
In step the Lobos, the team nobody expected to be in a title conversation in the second half of league play but the only team in the league other than SDSU that still controls its destiny for a regular-season title. While nine other MWC teams can win out but still need help to get a league championship, only SDSU and UNM, which play today and again March 1 in the Pit, can secure at least a share of another league title by simply winning their games the rest of the way.
“They’ve had a great start to the (league) season,” UNM coach Craig Neal said. “I don’t know if anyone expected that they’d start 10-0 with the road wins they’ve had, but you’ve just got to tip your hat to that. They’re playing at a high level. ... We’re just trying to keep pace.”
While UNM hasn’t won in Viejas Arena since 2012, today’s matchup, at least on paper, looks like it could be the best of the league season so far.
While UNM leads the league in scoring during MWC play (80.7 points per game), SDSU is tops in scoring defense (59.4). UNM is the best shooting team (50.4 percent), SDSU is the toughest to shoot against (36.9 percent). The teams are Nos. 1 and 2 in both scoring margin and rebounding margin.
The Lobos realize that despite their offensive success of late, including having three players scoring better than 14 points per game, SDSU’s defense (rated No. 3 in the country by KenPom.com), is going to be as tough a challenge as they’ve faced this season.
“They’re just really, really good defensively and they always have been,” Neal said. “That’s been their staple and that’s why they’re good. They have a way they play and they continue to do that and that’s why they’ve been pretty consistent.”
FAMILIAR FOES: Arguably SDSU’s top four players — senior Winston Shepard, sophomore Trey Kell and freshmen Zylan Cheatham and Jeremy Hemsley — are kids Neal at one time tried to recruit to UNM.
Neal had high praise for all four when previewing today’s game, especially for the evolution into a leadership role Shepard has had.
“It’s his turn,” Neal said. “... It’s good to see for him. He’s waited his turn. He’s always been a really good player for them, but now he’s a focal point offensively and those two guards help him. He’s done a really good job this year.”