Site Map | Archives

Home › Sports › LoboZone

Men's basketball: Lobos want Rams to play their game

By Jeremy Fowler
Saturday, January 6, 2007

As fans scanned their preseason Lobos schedules, the second game of the conference season against Colorado State probably wasn't the one marked as must-see.

Mark it now - not because it's CSU today at 3 p.m. in The Pit, but because it's where the University of New Mexico men's basketball team will ultimately start to direct its fate.

Losing to an underwhelming TCU team in Wednesday's Mountain West Conference opener calls for a strong response.

Players know this.

"I'd say this game is a defining moment in our season," guard J.R. Giddens said. "We need this. We have to take it. Nobody's going to give us anything."

Coach Ritchie McKay said he doesn't agree this game is more important than most, instead taking the standard route.

Every game is important, you know.

True. But this is crucial.

If the Lobos (11-5, 0-1 in MWC) contain the Rams (10-3), who haven't won in The Pit since 1993, they deflect the negative buzz generated from the TCU loss. And they defeat a formidable opponent led by two 7-footers, pro prospect Jason Smith and Stuart Creason.

If not, that's two early losses with the meat of the conference - San Diego State, No. 16 Air Force, BYU, UNLV - still to be played.

These high-rise post players for CSU are coming to tear into a Lobos interior defense that has allowed 40 or more points in the paint in numerous games.

"I think we'll try to exploit that as much as we can," Smith said. "If they double- and triple-team us, we'll kick it outside to our shooters for them to knock down shots."

Smith, who averages 16.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, anchored a Rams team that stayed close with Air Force in a 81-75 loss Wednesday. Creason adds 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game to create a formidable tandem.

Now that New Mexico has realized nobody on its team can successfully guard 7-footers, it plans to exploit CSU with its own strengths, players say.

The Lobos will run.

"We want to make them switch to our style," point guard Jamaal Smith said. "It's a game of wills. Can we make them play our game?"

Guard Darren Prentice said the Lobos will use the same defense as usual with an emphasis on limiting CSU's second-chance opportunities. McKay declined comment regarding strategy against CSU.

Defending giants might seem daunting, but the offense is ready to attack, Prentice said.

"We have to be able to bring the bigs out to the perimeter," Prentice said. "Our advantage is our speed and quickness."

Don't mistake these big men for clumsy goofs, Smith said.

"We can play inside and outside," Smith said. "We feel if we're playing together, we can beat anybody in the conference."

If the Lobos don't take this win, they might become 0-3 after Tuesday, when UNM visits No. 22-ranked Air Force, winners of 10 straight.

Now is the time to maximize potential.

"If we (do that), we'll be in the (conference) race," McKay said. "If we don't, we won't. We are 11-5, not 5-11. We're 0-1 in the conference, not 0-20. We still have a lot of time to get better."

Addressing issues: McKay discussed his job status after Friday's practice while circled by media members.

"I'm comfortable with who I am and the job that I'm doing," McKay said. "I have great confidence in our administration. If they feel a change needs to be made, I'm sure they'll do it. I'm a strong believer in (Jesus) Christ. I'm comfortable in my faith. Whether I win 20, 19, 18 games, I'm still going to be the same man."

Pack The Pit: All tickets for the CSU game are $10 as part of a Pack The Pit promotion. Howl Towels go to the first 7,500 fans.