Emptying the Notebook: Unguardable Jaedon LeDee and the fun two year House vs. The Show show

SAN DIEGO — Here are some extra notes, quotes, stats, videos, and any other odds & ends I managed to empty out of the old reporter's notebook after Friday's 81-70 Lobos loss at San Diego State:

Crying FOUL!

OK, nobody was really crying foul on Friday night.

Not like a month ago in the Pit when San Diego State was visibly, and somewhat verbally afterward, bothered by the lack of getting calls to go their way.

On Friday, San Diego State's Jaedon LeDee had his way with the Lobos, and the whistle. He was simply unguardable in SDSU's 81-70 victory to split the season series.

The San Diego State All-America candidate, and for my money frontrunner for Mountain West Player of the Year, drew 10 fouls against the Lobos.

It was the first time in three seasons under Richard Pitino that the Lobos have had a Mountain West opponent draw double-digit fouls against them and just the second time this season a player has had 10 or more fouls drawn on the Lobos:

Most fouls drawn vs. Lobos this season:

• 12 — Femi Odukale, NMSU (Dec. 2)

• 10 — Jaedon LeDee, SDSU (Friday)

• 8 — Ajay Mitchell, UC Santa Barbara (Dec. 6)

• 7 — four players

There's a reason he and CSU's Isaiah Stevens this past week were named to the Naismith National Player of the Year watch list:

Not only did LeDee's 10 fouls get him to the line a lot and his 8-of-11 free throw shooting helped out that game-best 23-point total, but it also kept the Lobo big men playing limited minutes and taking a rather passive defensive approach much of the second half because they didn't want to foul out.

“LeDee is a force, and he’s getting stronger and tougher and posting up harder," UNM Lobo coach Richard Pitino said of the 6-9 Aztec forward. "Reminds me … of Zach Edey (the Purdue center who is reigning national Player of the Year). He just makes you foul him.”

Purdue's Edey, 7-foot-4 force, leads the nation in fouls drawn per 40 minutes at 9.3. LeDee is at a Mountain West-best and national No. 11 7.5 fouls drawn per 40 minutes.

Not that Friday was any indication of it, but the Lobos actually did about as well as anyone at defending LeDee all season on Jan. 13 in the Pit when the big man scored eight of his 15 points in the final four minutes after the Lobos had already built a 20-point lead.

In that game, UNM fouled LeDee just five times.

LeDee drawing fouls:

• 7.5 — fouls drawn per 40 minutes (No. 1 MW)

• 10 — fouls drawn Friday win vs. UNM (34:33 played)

• 5 — fouls drawn in Jan. 13 loss at UNM in (36:29 played)

But while a lot of this is new to the Lobos, for LeDee and San Diego State, it's rather expected.

LeDee has drawn 10 or more fouls eight times this season, five times in Mountain West play and he is currently on a streak of four consecutive games drawing 10 or more fouls.

Jaedon LeDee double-digit fouls drawn:

• 15 — at San Jose State (Jan. 9)

• 13 — vs. Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 6)

• 11 — vs. Colorado State (Tuesday)

• 11 — at Nevada in overtime (Feb. 9)

• 11 — at Air Force (Feb. 6)

• 11 — vs. Washington (Nov. 19)

• 10 — vs. New Mexico (Friday)

For comparison, the Lobos, a team that prides itself on drawing lots of fouls and getting to the free throw line, has had one game all season of a player drawing double-digit fouls:

• 11 — Jamal Mashburn Jr. vs. Toledo (Nov. 21)

The gamer ...

Here is the gamer I filed from Viejas Arena after Friday's game in San Diego…

Holding court: San Diego State rolls to win over UNM at Viejas Arena

• By Geoff Grammer/Albuquerque Journal

So, about that House party ...

It started long before Friday.

Even before both the Albuquerque Journal and the San Diego Union Tribune each published game day articles about how eager fans in San Diego were to give to Jaelen House all the hate he so easily seemed to pull out of them a year ago (29 points in a Lobos win in Viejas Arena) and again a month ago (26 points in a Lobos win in the Pit).

And when the ball was tipped and he hit a 3-pointer on the first possession that brought out the first in-game round of boos, he pulled out his mouthpiece while running back down court and yelled right back at The Show, SDSU's infamous student section that seems in so many ways to be a mirror image in the stands of what Jaelen House is on the court — hated by everyone but their own, a passionate, positive piece of what makes college basketball so unique and fun, especially in the Mountain West.

What was some of that social media chatter like?

Like him or not, if Friday was the last time we get to see the Jaelen House vs. The Show show, what a past two-year, four-game ride it was:

Past two years UNM/SDSU:

• UNM 2 wins

• SDSU 2 wins

• Jaelen House averages: 23.0 points, 3.0 assists, 3.3 steals, 2.3 turnovers, 12 made 3s, 24 made FTs

I know I'll miss it.

Now, back to some game stuff ...

A number to know: 0

The Lobos had 0 blocked shots Friday night in San Diego.

That is the first time this season they failed to block a shot.

NOTE: There was actually such a clean block of a shot in the first half by UNM's Tru Washington that he connected with the ball when LeDee hadn't even released it from his hand and they both were holding the ball when Washington landed. A jump ball, not a block, was called with the possession arrow to the Aztecs.

Another number to know: 14

UNM blocked 14 shots in the Jan. 13 win over the Aztecs in the Pit.

That tied a program record for most blocked shots in any game in UNM history, and set a new record for the program for blocked shots against a conference opponent.

One more number to know: 5.15

Even with Friday's goose egg for the Lobos, the team still leads the Mountain West in blocked shots per game and per league game (5.15).

Still no stoppin' Toppin ...

Jaedon LeDee and his game-high 23 points may have been the headliner Friday night and Jaelen House and his team-best 22 points was the worthy undercard.

But, despite some foul trouble that forced coach Richard Pitino's hand some in terms of playing time, freshman JT Toppin succeeded on yet another big stage, with plenty of NBA scouts in the building, mind you, with an 18-point, 10-rebound (seven offensive rebounds!) night on a very efficient 7-of-10 shooting.

So, while Toppin somehow hasn't won a Mountain West Player of the Week award, and won't this week with the loss, it's hard not to start realizing the guy isn't just the league's best freshmen (sorry UNLV fans who may point out the late-season push by Dedan Thomas Jr., Toppin's been doing this all season) he's in the conversation as a possible second-team All-Mountain West player.

Check back in a few weeks and maybe (just maybe?) we're talking first team?

Fifteen freshmen have been selected all-conference first, second or third team in the first 24 seasons of the Mountain West. Two have been selected first team All-MW and four to the second team.

I think it's safe to say Toppin is at least a third-team All-Mountain West performer barring injury (and even then, his first 13 of 18 league games might already be a lock). But what about second team or even the very rare air of a first-team selection?

Here is who he would join ...

Freshman selected 1st Team All-MW

• F Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State (2009-10)

• F Anthony Bennett, UNLV (2012-13)

Freshman selected 2nd Team All-MW

• C Andrew Bogut, Utah (2003-04)

• C Trent Plaisted, BYU (2005-06)

• F Brandon McCoy, UNLV (2017-18)

• C Neemius Queta, Utah State (2018-19)

Steve Kirkland stat of the night!

OK, for this ETN edition of the Steve Kirkland stat of the night, a stat dug up and passed along to me by UNM hoops Sports Information Director Steve Kirkland, let's go back to the brilliant freshman season of JT Toppin.

Toppin's seven offensive rebounds on Friday gives him 93 this season.

Seven freshman in Mountain West history have reached 90 or more offensive boards ...

Most offensive rebounds by MW freshman:

1. 119 — Kawhi Leonard, SDSU (2009-10)

2. 113 — Tom Bellairs, Air Force (1999-2000)

3. 106 — Andrew Bogut, Utah (2003-04)

t4. 103 — Brandon McCoy, UNLV (2017-18)

t4. 103 — Cameron Oliver, Nevada (2015-16)

6. 95 — Dalron Johnson (1999-2000)

7. *93 — JT Toppin, UNM (2023-24)

* At least five regular season and one Mountain West Tournament game remaining.

Updating those computer numbers ...

NET update:

• San Diego State: From 18 to 15

• New Mexico: From 22 to 23

KenPom update:

• San Diego State: From 19 to 17

• New Mexico: From 24 to 24

Dent plays, just not well ...

The good news on the Donovan Dent front Friday was that he played.

The sophomore sprained his ankle on the final play of Tuesday's win at Nevada and was a "game time decision" per Richard Pitino, but when both Dent and the team trainer told the coach everything was good to go, Dent started as usual.

But he also had one of his worst stat sheet games of the season.

Dent's stat line Friday vs. SDSU:

• 11 points

• 3-10 FGs

• 5-5 FTs

• 2 assists

• 6 turnovers (ties career high)

• 3 steals

"Donovan didn’t play great. It’s hard to imagine his ankle didn’t have something to do with that,” Pitino admitted. “He missed a lot at the basket.”

So, was there any hesitation from Pitino in playing his sophomore on Friday after he clearly wasn't on his game?

"No. I don't make those decisions," Pitino said, making clear health is one area he will always defer to the medical experts and players.

"You ask the trainer and Donovan. They say they're good to go, and you're good to go. So I never make those decisions. That's on Donovan and the trainer."

Steal the one ...

UNM had 11 steals on Friday night, their 11th game this season of double digit steals, one away from the program record of 12 double-digit steal games set in 2019-20 and 2004-05.

On the other hand ...

UNM also had a season-worst 19 turnovers on Friday, though SDSU had 20 of them, which left the points off turnovers battle pretty even: UNM 26, SDSU 25.

Mash struggles again ...

Jamal Mashburn Jr.'s last five shooting performances:

• 1-10 (Friday at SDSU)

• 4-7 (Tuesday at Nevada)

• 3-15 (Feb. 10 vs. UNLV)

• 4-10 (Feb. 6 at Wyoming

• 6-15 (Jan. 31 vs. Boise State)

—

TOTAL: 18-57 (31.6%)

He said it ...

It's hard to ignore the force Mustapha Amzil has become off the bench for the Lobos in league play, having scored in double figures nine times in 13 Mountain West games.

Friday, he had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds to go along with eight fouls drawn and five offensive boards.

But Pitino had this to say about a pretty positive stretch of defense Amzil played on Jaedon LeDee in the second half — one of the few the Lobos had on the Aztecs star:

"I though Mustapha battled his butt off on LeDee," Pitino said. "That was hard to do (put Amzil on LeDee defensively), but we had to do it because of the foul trouble with Nelly and JT."

Attendance ...

The announced attendance for Friday's game in Viejas Arena for UNM at SDSU: 12,414

Sellout tracker ...

San Diego State gives the Mountain West another sellout for the season, pulling the league up to 17 on the season.

7 — San Diego State

3 — Boise State

2 — Colorado State

2 — New Mexico

2 — Utah State

1 — Nevada

Can I assist you with that?

San Diego State had 20 assists on 29 made baskets.

UNM had six assists on 22 made baskets.

The 14-assist differential ties a season-worst for the Lobos, matching the 24/10 differential in last weekend's loss to UNLV in the Pit.

Plus/minus ...

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

NEW MEXICO

0 Sebastian Forsling (2:00)

-1 Jaelen House (33:37)

-1 Isaac Mushila (4:12)

-4 Jamal Mashburn Jr. (23:31)

-5 JT Toppin (29:47)

-5 Nelly Junior Joseph (14:02)

-6 Jemarl Baker Jr. (18:15)

-8 Donovan Dent (31:47)

-11 Mustapha Amzil (29:59)

-14 Tru Washington (12:50)

SAN DIEGO STATE

+14 Miles Byrd (17:05)

+8 Miles Heide (5:27)

+8 Reese Waters (25:17)

+7 Elijah Saunders (18:32)

+5 Lamont Butler (28:20)

+4 Micah Parrish (28:34)

+4 Jay Pal (21:05)

+3 Jaedon LeDee (34:33)

+2 Darrion Trammell (21:07)

Line 'em up ...

The UNM Lobos played 10 players and used 18 unique lineup combinations. The San Diego State Aztecs played nine players and used 12 unique lineup combinations.

BEST LINEUP

• WHO: Jaelen House, Donovan Dent, Jemarl Baker Jr., JT Toppin, Mustapha Amzil

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +6 (13-7)

• TIME ON COURT: 3:07

• NOTE: Three of UNM's steals came in the 3 minutes this group was on the floor, which played a big part in their quick offensive flurry that netted a very impressive 1.6332 points per possession.

WORST LINEUP

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn Jr., Jemarl Baker Jr., JT Toppin, Mustapha Amzil

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: -7 (0-7)

• TIME ON COURT: 1:34

• NOTE: It didn't take long. Just about 90 seconds and it was clear this group wasn't going to work in this exact form.

VIDEO: Pitino and Baker after SDSU loss ...

Here is the video of the postgame interviews Lobo coach Richard Pitino and guard Jemarl Baker Jr. had Friday night in San Diego...

Around the Mountain ...

Just the one game on Friday and a slate of four Mountain West games on Saturday ...

FRIDAY

• San Diego State 81, New Mexico 70

SATURDAY

• Utah State at Colorado State, 3:30 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

• Fresno State at Boise State, 4:30 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

• Wyoming at San Jose State, 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT (TheMW)

• Nevada at UNLV, 8:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. MT (TheMW)

TUESDAY

• San Diego State at Utah State, 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

• San Jose State at Boise State, 7:30 p.m PT/8:30 p.m. PT (FS1)

• Wyoming at Nevada, 8 p.m. PT/9 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

WEDNESDAY

• Colorado State at New Mexico, 7 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

• UNLV at Air Force, 9 p.m. MT (FS1)

Mountain West standings ...

Through Friday's game:

9-3 Utah State

9-4 San Diego State

7-4 UNLV

7-4 Boise State

8-5 New Mexico

7-5 Colorado State

6-5 Nevada

5-6 Wyoming

4-8 Fresno State

2-10 San Jose State

1-11 Air Force

Stats and stats ...

Here is the postgame stat sheet I posted late Sunday night: San Diego State 81, New Mexico 70

And if you prefer the digital version, here you go: San Diego State 81, New Mexico 70

Grammer's Guesses ...

The Guesses got one right on Friday, and so did my daughter's coin flip pick. We both took San Diego State to win by at least 6.5 points.

That means the Guesses are now 31-34 on the season and her coin flip picks are 29-36.

Up next ...

For New Mexico: The Lobos host Colorado State at 8 p.m. MT Wednesday in the Pit. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

For San Diego State: The Aztecs play at Utah State at 8 p.m. MT Tuesday in Logan, Utah. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

Until next time ...

Until next time, Viejas Arena in San Diego, Calif., ...

Lobo schedule/results ...

Photos from the game ...

Photos: San Diego State rolls UNM