The No.4-seeded New Mexico Lobos (17-14) face the No.5-seeded Nevada Wolf Pack (18-12) in the second round of the MWC tournament at Thomas & Mack Center. Action begins at 5:30 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 10 and can be seen on CCS.
The Lobos come into this game on a high note after defeating Nevada 71-66 in their last matchup. Obij Aget fueled the Lobos, recording 12 points and 14 rebounds to notch his fourth double-double this season. The Wolf Pack, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after the 71-66 loss to New Mexico in their last game.
The Lobos have emerged victorious in both matchups against the Wolf Pack this year, including a 71-66 win the last time these two teams met. Despite the loss, Criswell was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points.
The Lobos enter the game with records of 17-14 Straight Up (SU) and 15-14 Against The Spread (ATS). The Lobos are an incredibly accurate shooting team from the line with a .737 free throw percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. The Lobos have really locked down opponents on the defensive end, ranking 36th in the country with a .421 opponent field-goal percentage.
On the other side, the Wolf Pack have 18-12 SU and 14-14 ATS records. Nevada has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 3-7 record. Nevada is one of the top foul-shooting teams in the nation, hitting .733 of their shots from the line. The Wolf Pack have controlled the glass with an average of 41.0 rebounds per game, 15th in the country. Switching gears to the Nevada defense, teams don’t seem to hit many three-pointers against the Wolf Pack, who are 37th in the country in terms of three-point field goals allowed at 207 this season.
In their previous meeting this season, New Mexico beat Nevada, bumping its SU record to 6-1 over Nevada in their most recent meetings. Additionally, New Mexico holds the advantage ATS with a record of 5-1-1. During their latest five matchups, neither team ever held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers.
Predictions: SU Winner – Nevada, ATS Winner – Nevada
Notes
The Nevada Wolf Pack have a defensive rating of 98.3 (ranked 15th), while the New Mexico Lobos have an offensive rating of 105.9 (ranked 180th).
The Nevada Wolf Pack average 73.5 possessions per game and 1.027 points per possession. The New Mexico Lobos earn fewer possessions with 72.2, but they score more points with 1.059.
Nevada has an average effective field goal percentage of 46.1%. New Mexico is a losing 5-11 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, the New Mexico Lobos attempt 16.0 three point field goals per game and the Nevada Wolf Pack attempt 17.0. In games where they attempt at least 20 threes, New Mexico is an even 4-4, while Nevada has a poor record of 4-7.
Nevada, the seventh-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.7 blocks per game. New Mexico ranks 96th with 4.1.
New Mexico ranks 255th in offensive rebounds, while Nevada ranks 17th in defensive rebounds.
The New Mexico Lobos make an average of 5.6 steals per game. The Nevada Wolf Pack are 8-11 when they allow 5 or more steals.
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