Emptying the Notebook: Dent again Mr. California, Lobos' dominant stretch continues

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Here are some extra notes, quotes, stats, videos and other odds & ends I managed to empty out of the old notebook after Wednesday's 95-75 Lobos road win at San Jose State:

Mr. California does it again...

The former Mr. Basketball in the state of California continues to be elite in his home state.

Donovan Dent on Wednesday had another highly-efficient offensive game for the Lobos and even was hitting from the outside (2-of-3 on 3-pointers), which is really the lone apparent weakness in his game (calling that a weakness as opposed to a part of his game he tends to shy away from might be a stretch since he's now shooting 37.0% from beyond the arc this season).

Donovan Dent on Wednesday:

• 17 points

• 6 assists

• 0 turnovers

• 3 steals

• 7-14 FG

• 2-3 3FG

As for his games in California, where he pretty much never lost while leading his high school team to a state title, well Dent continues to win now that he's in college. UNM, with Dent, is now 4-2 over the past two seasons in California:

• UNM 95, San Jose State 75 — Wednesday (San Jose)

• Saint Mary's 72, UNM 58 — Nov. 9 (Moraga)

• UNM 96, San Jose State 68 — Feb. 17, 2023 (San Jose)

• UNM 76, San Diego State 67 — Jan. 14, 2023 (San Diego)

• Fresno State 71, New Mexico 67 — Jan. 3, 2023 (Fresno State)

• UNM 69, Saint Mary's 65 — Nov. 30, 2022 (Moraga)

Because of the league's unbalanced 18-game schedule, the Lobos don't play at Fresno State this season, so the only other game scheduled in his home state at this point is Feb. 16 at San Diego State.

So, what does he think now about playing in his home state, something he admitted last year was a pretty big motivation for him when he got to college:

"Year two, I'm kind of used to it now," Dent told me after the game when I asked if coming back to California was still something special for him after not being as recruited in his home state as highly as many top California schools now wish they had done.

"It just feels good to walk out of here with a win, like always."

Even before Wednesday's strong game, Dent was already getting love from national media and in the computer rankings that apply to teams and players.

Here is the KenPom.com rankings for the top five Mountain West players as of Tuesday (the order was still the same after Wednesday's game):

The gamer...

Here is the gamer I filed from Provident Credit Union Event Center in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday night:

Cruisin' in California: No. 25 UNM leads wire-to-wire in win over San Jose State

• By Geoff Grammer/Journal Staff Writer

As a ranked team...

The life of a fan is a weird one sometimes.

There are some Lobo fans who are not thrilled that UNM broke into the national rankings this week for fear it will only lead to them losing.

Well, one game as a ranked team down, one to go this week.

It was nearly a decade between national rankings when the Lobos broke into the AP Top 25 last season.

Here's how the Lobos have now done in their last four weeks as a ranked team:

Dec. 26, 2022, AP poll (No. 22): 2-0

• W, vs. Colorado State; W, at Wyoming

Jan. 2, 2023, AP poll (No. 21): 0-2

• L, at Fresno State; L, vs. UNLV

Jan. 23, 2023, AP poll (No. 25): 1-1

• L (2OT), at Nevada; W, vs. Air Force

This week's AP poll (No. 25): 1-0 (1 remaining)

• W, at San Jose State; TBD Sunday vs. Nevada

What you see around the Mountain (West)...

This isn't game-related, but still one of my favorite parts of going to the San Jose State campus every season, seeing the great statue of Tommie Smith and John Carlos.

Here's my pic from a rainy Wednesday night before the game in the nearby Event Center:

Still no stoppin JT Toppin...

Lobo freshman JT Toppin on Monday won his sixth Mountain West Freshman of the Week award (it's only been awarded 10 times this season).

That's one off the conference record of nine for Boise State's Tyson Degenhart, though it should be noted two years ago when Degenhart got his nine en route to an easy win as the MW Freshman of the Year, that was the first year the league handed out the weekly freshman award.

Regardless, Toppin is on a heater like no Lobo freshman has seen in some time, maybe ever.

Toppin Wednesday at San Jose State:

• 14 points

• 10 rebounds

• 5 blocks

• 7th double-double of the season

That last bullet point is of particular interest.

Toppin's seven double-doubles this season ties him with Kenny Thomas for the most by a Lobo freshman in program history.

And with a dozen (at minimum) more games on the schedule, he seems likely to get there.

In the first 1 minute, 50 seconds of Wednesday's game, Toppin already had 3 blocks and 3 points, all three of those points coming on this 3-point play:

Dominant stretch...

The Lobos are on a four-game win streak in conference play, including two home wins over ranked teams and two road games.

They've won all four-games by double digit points and are plus-70 overall in those games, winning by an average score of 91.8-74.3.

Here is a Steve Kirkland stat of the night (actually, a few) related to the Lobos and double digit leads and wins:

• UNM has won 13 of its 17 wins this season by double digits.

• In all 17 victories, the Lobos had a double-digit lead at one point.

• With Wednesday's 20-point win, the Lobos have won four games in a row by double-digits for the first time since a seven-game such streak during the 2011-12 season.

Not that it matters, but...

The four teams UNM has beat in its current winning streak had similar bookends to their double-digit losses to the Lobos — a one-possession or overtime road game before and then followed the bad loss with a big double-digit victory of their own:

San Diego State:

• Game before: W, 81-78 over San Jose State

• vs. Lobos: L, 88-70 at UNM

• Game after: W, 71-59 over Nevada (+12)

Utah State:

• Game before: W, 87-86 over UNLV

• vs. Lobos: L, 99-86 at UNM

• Game after: W, 83-62 over Fresno State (+21)

Air Force:

• Game before: L, 78-69 (OVERTIME) at Colorado State

• vs. Lobos: L, 99-86 at UNM

• Game after: W, *90-58* over UNLV (+32)

San Jose State:

• Game before: L, 85-82 at Fresno State

• vs. Lobos: L, 95-75 at UNM

• Game after: TBD, Spartans host UNLV on Saturday

*EDITOR'S NOTE: This really happened.

Wait, it wasn't all good...

DISCLAIMER: No video boards were injured in the making of this note.

After UNM built up a 16-point first half lead with under 1 minute left in the opening frame, San Jose State closed out the final 11 seconds with five points, including a running 3-pointer from MJ Amey that led to Richard Pitino' rather frustrated reaction... (look at the video board at the top of the video after the 3)

While it certainly looked like the video board broke with Pitino's kick, it was fine moments later and worked the rest of the game.

Triple threat...

The Lobos were 10-of-19 (52.6%) from 3-point range in Wednesday's game, marking just the fourth time this season the team reached double figures in 3-pointers made.

"When they start making 3s that they weren't making earlier (in the season), ... Yeah, that's a tough group to guard," San Jose State coach Tim Miles said.

Most Lobo 3s made in game this season:

• 14-25 — Dec. 2 vs. New Mexico State (W, 106-62)

• 11-32 — Dec. 29 vs. D-II Eastern New Mexico (W, 87-54)

• 10-19 — Saturday at San Jose State (W, 95-75)

• 10-23 — Nov. 6 vs. Texas Southern (W, 92-55)

• 9-24 — Nov. 29 vs. Louisiana Tech (W, 74-65)

More on the O...

The 95 points scored by UNM on Wednesday is the most scored on the Spartans all season.

That's not the first time this season that has happened, either.

Lobos responsible for highest point total this season:

• 95 points — Wednesday vs. San Jose State (next highest vs. SJSU 86)

• 99 points — Jan. 16 vs. Utah State (next highest vs. USU 86)

• 93 points — Dec. 9 vs. Santa Clara (next highest vs. SC 86)

• 106 points — Dec. 2 vs. New Mexico State (next highest vs. NMSU 91)

• 92 points — Nov. 21 vs. Toledo (next highest vs. Toledo 91)

Stealing the show...

Wednesday was the 10th time this season the Lobo defense reached double digits in steals (they had 11), but considering the opponent, it was as impressive as any game.

Why?

Entering the game, San Jose State rated No. 2 in the country in offensive steal rate. Don't know what that is? Don't worry, neither did Richard Pitino (Clip from postgame interview).

Entering Wednesday, San Jose State ranked No. 2 out of 362 Division I teams in offensive steal rate, having had opponents steal the ball on just 6.0% of their offensive possessions all season.

Wednesday, the Lobos stole the ball on 15.5% of the Spartans' possessions.

Most steals vs. SJSU this season

• 11 — vs. New Mexico (Wednesday)

• 8 — vs. (non-DI) Bethesda College of California (Nov. 9)

• 7 — vs. UC Irvine (Nov. 7)

• 7 — at Texas Tech (Nov. 12)

• 6 — two tied

As for the Lobos getting 11...

UNM's most double-digit steal games MW era:

• 12 — 2019-20 season

• 12 — 2004-05 season

• 10 — 2023-24 season (minimum 12 games remain)

• 7 — three seasons tied

Speaking of stealing the show...

Jaelen House had another really good game, scoring 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half, including hitting three 3-pointers while a group of SJSU students was yelling vulgarities at him all game and taunting him to shoot a 3-pointer.

After he hit his 3rd, on an ensuing trip down the court, he looked at the now-quiet student group and said, "I got three of them for you all."

Here's another from pretty much the same spot...

House's two steals on Wednesday pulls him within three of Phil Smith for No. 3 all-time at UNM. (House has 194, Smith had 197).

20-game starts...

UNM is now 17-3 on the season. That is one of the 12-best 20-game starts to a season in Lobo history:

• 19-1 (1967-68) — finished 23-5, WAC champion

—

• 18-2 (2022-23) — finished 22-12

• 18-2 (1977-78) — finished 24-4, WAC champion

• 18-2 (1964-65) — finished 19-8

—

• 17-3 (2023-24) — finish is TBD

• 17-3 (2012-13) — finished 29-6, MW champion

• 17-3 (2009-10) — finished 30-5, MW champion

• 17-3 (1997-98) — finished 24-8

• 17-3 (1996-97) — finished 25-8

• 17-3 (1995-96) — finished 28-5

• 17-3 (1972-73) — finished 21-6

• 17-3 (1963-64) — finished 23-6, WAC champion

Attendance...

The announced attendance for Wednesday's game at the Provident Credit Union Event Center: 3,118

For the Lobos...

The energy for the Lobos didn't seem to be lacking Wednesday, or Saturday at Air Force for that matter.

In both cases, that wasn't always going to be a given considering the team was coming off the back-to-back huge crowds in the Pit that watched the Lobos beat ranked teams San Diego State and Utah State.

Here's a look at the Lobos' past four game attendances — two in the Pit then two on the road at two of the lowest attendances in the Mountain West:

Attendance of past two Lobo home games

• 15,437 — Jan. 13 vs. San Diego State (in the Pit)

• 13,106 — Jan. 16 vs. Utah State (in the Pit)

• 28,543 — TOTAL

Attendance of past two Lobo road games

• 2,785 — Saturday at Air Force (Clune Arena)

• 3,118 — Wednesday at San Jose State (Provident Credit Union Event Center)

• 5,903 — TOTAL

Among those in attendance...

There may not have been a ton of fans on hand for the Spartans on Wednesday night, but there was no surprises when Dac the SJSU Duck showed up with his loaf of bread.

Amzil opens up...

Mustapha Amzil has been playing very well off the bench for the Lobos of late, including Wednesday, despite his four-game double-digit scoring streak coming to an end.

Amzil on Wednesday:

• 7 points

• 5 rebounds

• 2-3 FG (1-2 3FG)

Amzil was my guest in this week's latest Talking Grammer podcast. Give a listen (or watch) if you haven't already:

• Link with audio link options, too

Plus/minus...

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

NEW MEXICO

+30 JT Toppin (31:26)

+22 Donovan Dent (29:53)

+19 Jamal Mashburn Jr. (34:25)

+15 Nelly Junior Joseph (27:10)

+14 Jaelen House (32:16)

+5 Tru Washington (11:57)

+1 Sebastian Forsling (1:57)

0 Jemarl Baker Jr. (11:29)

-6 Mustapha Amzil (19:27)

SAN JOSE STATE

-1 William Humer (10:22)

-1 Rickey Mitchell Jr. (1:57)

-1 Christian Ware (1:57)

-4 Diogo Seixas (12:05)

-5 Garrett Anderson (12:12)

-6 Latrell Davis (6:04)

-14 Myron "MJ" Amey (34:59)

-15 Adrame Diongue (17:33)

-17 Tibet Gorener (33:50)

-17 Trey Anderson (34:13)

-19 Alvaro Cardenas (34:48)

Line 'em up...

The UNM Lobos played 9 players and used 11 unique lineup combinations. The San Jose State Spartans played 11 players and used 10 unique lineup combinations.

STARTING LINEUP

• WHO: Jaelen House, Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn Jr., JT Toppin, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +22 (48-26)

• TIME ON COURT: 14:42

• NOTE: Yeah, they were pretty good on Wednesday. All five starters scored in double figures and the only thing that kept this unit from playing more was Richard Pitino trying to keep his regular rotation in order for the most part (Toppin with three fouls played a little bit of a factor in this, too).

What can you say when you nearly double up the scoring of your opponent in a nearly 15-minute stretch with a starting five that all scored in double figures and accounted for seven of the Lobos' 15 assists in the game? This group is clicking.

San Jose State's starting five, for comparison, played 9:22 together and had a -10 scoring differentual.

BEST LINEUP

OK, second best

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn Jr., Jemarl Baker Jr., JT Toppin, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +5 (10-5)

• TIME ON COURT: 3:04

• NOTE: The starting five was far and away the best lineup combination of the game for the Lobos, but for the sake of giving some attention to at least one other lineup combination where things worked, the Baker for House switch netted for the Lobos a plus-5 spurt in just over 3 minutes on the court together.

WORST LINEUP

• WHO: Jaelen House, Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn Jr., Mustapha Amzil, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: -6 (6-12)

• TIME ON COURT: 3:49

• NOTE: Amzil's minutes have been very good of late. Wednesday, with him playing the "4" for a short stretch with Toppin on the bench and Nelly Junior Joseph still in the game at the "5", things just didn't mesh. It was one of the few stretches when San Jose State made up a little ground.

Meanwhile, back in Albuquerque...

That's another win for the Lobo women's basketball team back in the Pit on Wednesday night, beating Fresno State 84-77.

Here is colleague Ken Sickenger's write up of the game:

Old West shootout: Lobo women take high-scoring win over Fresno State

• By Ken Sickenger/Journal Staff Writer

VIDEO: Pitino and Dent postgame...

Here is the postgame, courtside interviews I did Wednesday night with UNM coach Richard Pitino and sophomore guard Donovan Dent:

Meanwhile, in Reno...

Nevada wants everyone to know that despite some recent struggles, it is still very much in the mix with those top six teams in the Mountain West all hoping to get into the NCAA Tournament.

Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack protected Lawlor Events Center with a 77-64 win over No. 24 Colorado State.

Meanwhile, Tuesday in Las Vegas...

Seriously. This happened.

Around the Mountain...

There were five midweek games around the Mountain — three Tuesday, two on Wednesday — and another full slate coming over three days this weekend — Saturday and even a big Sunday night game.

TUESDAY

• San Diego State 81, Wyoming 65

• Boise State 72, Fresno State 68

• Air Force 90, UNLV 58

WEDNESDAY

• Nevada 77, No. 24 Colorado State 64

• No. 25 New Mexico 95, San Jose State 75

SATURDAY

• No. 18 Utah State at Boise State, 2 p.m. MT (TheMW)

• No. 24 Colorado State at Wyoming, 2 p.m. MT (TheMW)

• Air Force at Fresno State, 4 p.m. PT/5 p.m. MT (TheMW)

• UNLV at San Jose State, 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT (FS1)

SUNDAY

• Nevada at No. 25 New Mexico, 8 p.m. MT (FS1)

Mountain West standings...

Through Wednesday's games:

5-1 Boise State

5-1 Utah State

5-2 New Mexico

5-2 San Diego State

3-3 Colorado State

3-3 Nevada

3-3 Wyoming

2-4 UNLV

1-5 Air Force

1-5 Fresno State

1-5 San Jose State

NET gains...

Here are the Mountain West's rankings in the NET through Wednesday's games:

19 New Mexico

20 San Diego State

25 Utah State

30 Colorado State

47 Nevada

55 Boise State

106 UNLV

173 San Jose State

177 Wyoming

200 Air Force

236 Fresno State

Mountain West KenPom rankings...

Through Wednesday's games:

22 San Diego State

24 New Mexico

39 Colorado State

43 Utah State

48 Nevada

58 Boise State

103 UNLV

169 San Jose State

177 Air Force

199 Wyoming

214 Fresno State

Stats and stats...

Here is the postgame stat sheet I posted after Wednesday's game: New Mexico 95, San Jose State 75

And if you prefer the digital stats, here you go: New Mexico 95, San Jose State 75

Grammer's Guesses...

The Guesses went 1-1 on Wednesday night and I'm now at 11-23 on the season.

My daughter's coin flip picks went 0-2 and I know her and her precious little coin have to be getting nervous now! She's at 16-18 on the season.

Up next...

FOR NEW MEXICO: The Lobos host Nevada on Sunday at 8 p.m. in the Pit. The game will be televised on FS1.

FOR SAN JOSE STATE: The Spartans host UNLV on Saturday at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on FS1.

Until next time...

Until next time, Provident Credit Union Event Center on the campus of San Jose State University...

Lobo schedule/results...

Here's the Lobos updated schedule/results page:

Photos from the game...

Photos: UNM men at San Jose State