Emptying the Notebook: Sure, defense needs to improve, but Lobos are on record scoring pace

FRESNO, Calif. — Here are some extra notes, quotes, stats, videos, trends and all sorts of odds & ends I managed to empty of of the old reporter's notebook after Tuesday's 103-89 Lobos road win at Fresno State:

Mike Locksley would be proud...

We probably didn't need Tuesday night's game to tell us that the Lobos sure can score.

The team leads the Mountain West and is No. 9 in the country in scoring average (87.4 points per game).

That 87.4 points per game average would be a program record in the Mountain West era (started the 1999-2000 season) and the total points record, depending on how many games they play beyond the regular season, could also be in play.

Tuesday's 103-89 road win over Fresno State marked the third time in 14 games this season that the Lobos have needed that infamous "third digit on the scoreboard" that former UNM Lobo football coach Mike Locksley once suggested his team would need to invest in.

Lobos 100pt games in Mountain West era:

• 4 — 2017-18 season (one vs. non-DI)

• 3 — 2024-25 season (one vs. non-DI)

NOTE: at least 18 games remaining

• 2 — 2016-17 season (one in overtime)

• 2 — 2008-09 season

• 2 — 2006-07 season

In Tuesday's win, it wasn't just the usual suspects, either. Sure, Donovan Dent had 18 points, six assists and five steals. Nelly Junior Joseph had another double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. And Mustapha Amzil added 23 points, his second game this season in the 20s.

But UNM got 14 points and six assists fro Tru Washington, too, and for the sixth time this season got at least 25 points from its bench, led by C.J. Noland tying a career high with 23 points.

UNM has five players averaging between 9.7 and 19.1 points per game this season.

"I mean offensively, terrific (game), except for the turnovers," UNM coach Richard Pitino said. "Very, very balanced box score. C.J., Tru (Washington), were really, really good. ... Donnie's been so good and so important."

Through 14 games, UNM has scored 1,223 points for that 87.4 points per game average.

With a minimum of 18 games left to play (17 regular season and assuming they play just one game in the Mountain West Tournament and don't participate in any postseason games), the Lobos are on pace to score 2,795 points if they held their current scoring average of 87.4.

Most points in a UNM season:

• 2,916 — 2023-24 season

• 2,828 — 1986-87 season

• 2,795 — 2017-18 season

• 2,749 — 2022-23 season

• 2,731 — 1977-78 season

Lobos on pace for 2,795 points if they only play one game in MW Tournament and do not accept any tournament.

Highest scoring average in a UNM season:

• 97.5 — 1977-78 season

• 88.5 — 1978-79 season

• 86.6 — 1976-77 season

• 84.1 — 1973-74 season

• 82.2 — 2017-18 season

Lobos currently averaging 87.4 points per game.

The gamer...

Here is the gamer I filed from the Save Mart Center in Fresno on Tuesday night:

• Never in doubt, but Lobos win over Fresno State comes with frustration from coach

Donnie does something new...

When you fill up the stat sheet in multiple categories the way Donovan Dent does some games, you find yourself keeping some pretty exclusive company at times.

Tuesday, Dent's statline did just that.

Dent vs Fresno State:

• Points: 18

• Assists: 6

• Rebounds: 5

• Steals: 5

• Blocks: 2

Using those particular numbers above as the criteria, and with the help of our friends over at Stathead.com, we know that Dent is the first Division I player to check all those particular boxes in a game in more than three years.

He is also one of only eight players to do that against a DI program in the past decade.

And in Lobo lore?

Here is the list of every Lobo basketball player in program history to have an 18 point, six assist, five rebound, five steal, two block game:

• Dent on Tuesday at Fresno State

• Darington Hobson on Jan. 30, 2010, at TCU (19 points, 6 assists, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, 2 blocks).

Time to check in one more time with that career assist list since he's closing in on Top 10 in program history:

UNM career assists

1. Darrell McGee, 1987-90 — 684 (137 games)

—

10. Marlon Parmer, 2000-2002 — 384 (84 games)

11. Hugh Greenwood, 2012-2015 — 372 (130 games)

12. Donovan Dent, 2023-present — 368 (83 games)

13. Charles Smith, 1994-97 — 358 (126 games)

14. Hunter Greene, 1984-88 — 354 (108 games)

Finally, in Fresno...

Yes, Fresno State is in a massive rebuild and currently in last place in the Mountain West (0-3), ranked 273rd in KenPom.com and 283 in the NET.

So why was Tuesday such a big win for the UNM Lobos, even if most fans and even the players didn't seem to know it?

Fresno State has owned the Lobos of late. Especially in Fresno.

Seriously. It's been bad.

Tuesday broke an eight game losing streak for the Lobos in Fresno.

Tell me any other team in college basketball that the Lobos have a longer current road losing streak to than eight.

I'll wait.

Yeah, good luck. (UNM does have a seven game road losing streak in Logan, Utah, vs. the Utah State Aggies, but not eight like it had grown to vs. Fresno State).

When the calendar flipped from 2016 to 2017, the UNM Lobos held an all-time series advantage over the Fresno State Bulldogs of 15-9.

UNM vs. Fresno State through 2016 (24 games):

• UNM 9-1 in the Pit

• UNM 4-8 in Fresno

• UNM 2-0 in neutral court games

Then, things changed.

Since the start of 2017, Fresno State has gone 12-5 vs. the Lobos, and that's with UNM now having won three in a row.

UNM vs. Fresno State from 2017 (16 games):

• UNM 4-2 in the Pit

• UNM 1-8 in Fresno*

• UNM 0-2 in neutral court games

* One win was Tuesday.

And not just Fresno State wins, but some significant ones through the years, too. Consider:

• Craig Neal's final game as UNM's coach was a loss to Fresno State on March 9, 2017, in Las Vegas

• Paul Weir's final game as UNM's coach was a loss to Fresno State on March 10, 2021, in Las Vegas

• UNM was the final undefeated team in Division I basketball when it lost at Fresno State on Jan. 3, 2023.

So, enjoy Tuesday, Lobo fans. Winning in Fresno, for some reason, has been very, very hard for your team.

Past 10 UNM games in Fresno:

• W — Tuesday — UNM 103, FS 89

• L — 01/03/23 — FS 71, UNM 67 (UNM was 14-0, ranked No. 21)

• L — 2/28/22 — FS 71, UNM 68

• L — 1/30/21 — FS 65, UNM 55

• L — 1/28/21 — FS 64, UNM 62 (OT)

• L — 2/01/20 — FS 82, UNM 77 (UNM led by 17)

• L — 2/02/19 — FS 82, UNM 70 (game featured 44 fouls, 57 combined free throws)

• L — 1/13/18 — FS 89, UNM 80 (FS 9-12 from 3-point range, 75% second best 3-point percentage against UNM ever)

• L — 2/18/17 — FS 71, UNM 61

• W — 1/2/16 — UNM 77, FS 62

Who's a good boy?

Maybe it's time for the Lobos to start being nicer to this guy?

Stealing the show (again)...

Let me just repurpose this note from Sunday morning's ETN after the Lobos beat Colorado State and had 10 steals in that road win, as well...

UNM had 10 steals Tuesday at Fresno State, becoming just the third team to have double digit steals against the Bulldogs this season:

Most steals vs. Fresno State:

• 13 — by Santa Clara on Dec. 7

• 10 — by UNM on Tuesday

• 10 — by Washington State on Nov. 26

UNM has now had eight games (out of 14) with 10 or more steals this season.

The Lobos had 12 such games (out of 36) last season.

UNM's number of 10 steal games:

• 8 — 2024-25 (in 14 games so far)

• 12 — 2023-24

• 2 — 2022-23

• 3 — 2021-22

• 2 — 2020-21

• 12 — 2019-20

• 2 — 2018-19

• 7 — 2017-18

• 2 — 2016-17

• 2 — 2015-16

Return of the block party ...

UNM had nine or more blocks in four of the first six games of the season, but their rate of blocking shots dropped dramatically since then.

While they didn't get back to nine on Tuesday, led by Nelly Junior Joseph's four blocks, the Lobos did have eight blocks, which is the most against Fresno State all season.

And, as they often do, the blocks turned into quick offense at the other end for the Lobos on multiple occasions...

Where'd all those nailbiters go?

Through the first 10 Mountain West games, four (40% for those who need the help), were considered "CLOSE GAMES", having been decided by just one possession, or under four points.

Those first 10 games also had just one "BLOWOUT" performances (a game decided by more than 20 points).

Saturday wasn't the same.

All five home teams lost and most were not particularly close, even if not technically reaching the blowout level.

Now, through 15 games, the update...

• CLOSE GAMES (decided by fewer than 4 points): 4

• BLOWOUTS (more than 19 points): 2

CJ's big game...

C.J. Noland has had back-to-back nice games for the Lobos and tied a career high with 23 points on Tuesday in Fresno, matching the total he had in his last game at North Texas last March against Tulane.

Tuesday, Noland scored 23 points in 21:47 off the bench on 11-of-16 shooting and when his 3-point shot wasn't falling early (1-6 from 3), he turned into a rim-attacking machine in the second half.

First, here's the one 3-pointer he did make from my baseline seat in the Save Mart Center...

As for those attacking the rim moments, here's a couple...

... and another ...

Attendance...

The announced attendance for Tuesday's UNM at Fresno State game in the Save Mart Center: 5,583

Now that was fast...

According to KenPom.com, Tuesday's game between UNM (ranked No. 4 in the country in tempo) and Fresno State (ranked No. 3) was the second highest tempo of any UNM Lobo game played since at least the 1996-97 season.

New Mexico sports in memoriam for 2024...

Colleague Rick Wright tackled the task of putting together an unfortunately rather Lobo basketball heavy "In Memoriam" for New Mexico sports figures for the year 2024.

The three Lobo legends who died in such close proximity time wise to each other and each so unexpectedly really hit the program hard last spring.

• New Mexico sports in memoriam for 2024

Plus/minus...

Here are the plus/minus numbers for Tuesday's game with minutes in parenthesis:

NEW MEXICO

+15 Donovan Dent (33:42)

+13 Nelly Junior Joseph (31:01)

+12 C.J. Noland (21:47)

+12 Tru Washington (28:44)

+8 Jovan Milicevic (7:40)

+6 Mustapha Amzil (32:20)

+3 Braden Appelhans (13:48)

+1 Filip Borovicanin (15:41)

+1 Atiki Ally Atiki (4:31)

0 Ibrahima Sacko (4:28)

-1 Kayde Dotson (6:18)

FRESNO STATE

+3 Jasir Tremble (18:19)

+2 Joshua Bonga (1:07)

-2 Mor Seck (8:28)

-4 Brian Amuneke (26:34)

-11 Jalen Weaver (30:32)

-12 Mykell Robinson (23:11)

-15 Elijah Price (33:31)

-15 Zaon Collins (32:24)

-16 Alex Crawford (35:53

Line 'em up...

The UNM Lobos played 11 players and used 17 unique lineup combinations. The Fresno State Bulldogs played nine players and used 19 unique lineup combinations.

Here's a look at some of the Lobos lineup combinations, starting with the starters.

STARTING LINEUP

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, Filip Borovicanin, Mustapha Amzil, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +1 (22-21)

• TIME ON COURT: (9:55)

• NOTE: Considering this unit played 25% of the game and was only +1 and the other 16 lineups the Lobos used over the other three quarters of the game were +13, maybe it was the starters that should also be posted below in the WORST LINEUP section. Frankly their 1.0166 Points Per Possession wasn't good and the starting five posting five turnovers when on the floor together is bad.

BEST LINEUP (1)

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, Braden Appelhans, Mustapha Amzil, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +7 (12-5)

• TIME ON COURT: 5:13

• NOTE: In just over five minutes, this group grabbed 11 rebounds. In the other 35 minutes of the game, UNM had just 25. This lineup combination was essentially just a swap at the "3" spot with Braden Appelhans spelling Filip Borovicanin, who I praised in what I wrote in this ETN column after Saturday's game then he sort of had another pedestrian game.

BEST LINEUP (2)

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, C.J. Noland, Jovan Milicevic, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +7 (7-0)

• TIME ON COURT: 1:39

• NOTE: Tru and CJ on the court together? OK. Jovan Milicevic in at the "4" along with Nelly Junior Joseph at the "5" spot? OK. This combination of players had just 1:39 playing together, but it was a flurry of really good basketball, including UNM scoring 4.2 points per minute and 2.33 points per possession.

WORST LINEUP

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, C.J. Noland, Mustapha Amzil, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: 0 (22-22)

• TIME ON COURT: 7:14

• NOTE: UNM's starting five was barely plus-1 for 9:55 of play. This group, which start half the season itself with the only tweak being Filip Borovicanin out and C.J. Noland in, was even through 7:14. That's 17 minutes and 9 seconds (almost an entire half) of what UNM considers its top 6 in the rotation basically being tied with a bad Fresno State team.

Not a good look from this group, at least when playing together.

VIDEO: Postgame with Pitino (and Noland) ...

Here are the two exclusive postgame interviews I had for the Albuquerque Journal with Richard Pitino and C.J. Noland...

MORE VIDEO: Pregame from the Save Mart Center...

Here was my pregame video from the Save Mart Center previewing Tuesday's game with a lot of talk of the lawsuit filed by walk-on Shane Douma-Sanchez...

Meanwhile, in Reno...

I mean, do you believe in Utah State, yet? They're 13-1 overall and 3-0 in Mountain West play and have now won three consecutive true road games, at Saint Mary's, at San Diego State and at Nevada.

Around the Mountain...

There was a full slate of five games around the Mountain on Tuesday with one big one coming Friday in the Pit and four more league games coming Saturday.

TUESDAY

• UNLV 77, Air Force 58

• Colorado State 72, San Jose State 50

• New Mexico 103, Fresno State 89

• Boise State 67, Wyoming 58

• Utah State 69, Nevada 64

FRIDAY

• Nevada at New Mexico, 9 p.m. MT, FS1

SATURDAY

• San Diego State at Boise State, 2 p.m. MT, CBS

• Wyoming at Air Force, 3 p.m. MT, TheMW.com

• San Jose State at UNLV, 4 p.m. TheMW.com

• Fresno State at Utah State, 7 p.m. MT, TheMW.com

TUESDAY (Jan. 8)

• Fresno State at Colorado State, 7 p.m. MT, TheMW.com

• New Mexico at Wyoming, 8 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network

• Utah State at San Jose State, 8 p.m. MT, TheMW.com

• UNLV at Boise State, 8:30 p.m. MT, FS1

WEDNSDAY (Jan. 9)

• Air Force at San Diego State, 8:30 p.m. MT, FS1

Mountain West standings...

Through Tuesday's games...

3-0 Utah State

3-0 Boise State

3-0 New Mexico

2-0 UNLV

2-1 Colorado State

1-1 San Diego State

1-2 Wyoming

0-2 Air Force

0-3 Nevada

0-3 San Jose State

0-3 Fresno State

Mountain West home/road standings...

A team gets a +1 for a road win and -1 for a home loss:

+2 Boise State

+2 New Mexico

+2 Utah State

+1 Colorado State

+1 UNLV

0 San Diego State

-1 Air Force

-1 Wyoming

-2 Fresno State

-2 Nevada

-2 San Jose State

And what about those other Lobos?

Colleague Ken Sickenger previews Wednesday's UNM Lobo women's game vs. Nevada in the Pit:

• Lobo women host Wolf Pack for New Year's scuffle

Stats and stats...

Here is the postgame stat sheet I posted late Tuesday night: New Mexico 103, Fresno State 89

And if you prefer the digital version, here you go: New Mexico 103, Fresno State 89

Grammer's Guesses...

This is just ridiculous.

The Guesses go 1-4 on Saturday and I'm now 6-9 on the season picking Mountain West games against the spread.

My daughter's coin flip picks went 4-1 and she's now 11-4 on the season.

Up next...

For New Mexico: The Lobos host Nevada on Friday night in the Pit for the 1,000th Lobo men's basketball game played in the Pit. UNM welcomes old friends Steve Alford and Craig Neal to town as the Nevada Wolf Pack and UNM Lobos play at 9 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on FS1.

For Fresno State: The Bulldogs play at unbeaten Utah State at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT on Saturday.

Until next time...

Until next time, Save Mart Center, on the campus of Fresno State University in Fresno, California, ...

Lobo schedule/results...