Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Freshman point guard Dairese Gary puts up a shot against San Diego State last week. The Lobos have won four straight games heading into tonight's showdown at Air Force partly because, head coach Steve Alford said, "We have two freshmen in the starting lineup (Gary and Jonathan Wills) and neither one of them is playing like a freshman."

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The Steve Alford Lobos have toughened up since pounding and embarrassing Air Force 59-44 in The Pit on Jan. 19.

But can they bend and not break in Clune Arena, where UNM has been broken for seven straight years?

"We're not a fragile team anymore," said Alford. "We're not the same team we were a month ago. We are tougher. We are hungrier. We are more resilient."

A month ago, roughly, the Lobos were in a six-game stretch where they had lost four-of-six games but sandwiched the rout over Air Force between the four losses.

UNM has improved, riding a four-game win streak into tonight's game.

"Our guys are more experienced, more seasoned now," said Alford. "We have two freshmen in the starting lineup (Dairese Gary and Jonathan Wills) and neither one of them is playing like a freshman.

"Our star and leader, J.R. Giddens, has gotten a lot better. Daniel (Faris) is playing better. Jamaal (Smith) has been outstanding off the bench and everyone is doing a good job understanding their role.

"Now, that doesn't mean we are a dominant basketball team, but we are a solid basketball team right now."

The big jump in this leap from fragile to solid is Giddens.

The former Kansas Jayhawk, the former McDonald's All-American, is averaging 25.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and shooting 67.2 percent over the past four games.

But the Lobos are winning by an average margin of 27.7 points in that span. That's not just Giddens. That's team ball.

"We are doing things better within our system," said Alford. "How we screen. How we see things. The shots we get.

"All that stuff is better than it was a month ago."

Said Giddens: "We've gained a lot of confidence. You can see it in all of us out there."

Confidence surely will be a good thing on this road swing to Air Force and to Utah on Saturday.

The Lobos have lost 25 straight in Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City - seven to Falcons, 18 to Utes.

"These are the kind of wins a championship caliber team will go on the road and get," said Giddens. "That's the kind of team we want to be."

Said Alford: "We know this is a very demanding road trip."

To sweep, you have to get the first one first. Utah might be the better team, but focus in Clune Arena is a must.

This is not the same Air Force team that has beaten down the Lobos seven straight in Clune. The talent level has dipped a bit.

Still, the Falcons have won 66 of their past 71 games in Clune. Like good flyboys, they defend their turf.

"I think a lot of people look at them that way (as not being athletic or tall), but it's tough to win at Clune," said UNM junior Chad Toppert. "The atmosphere in that arena can really get crazy. They bring in a lot of football players. They sit close. They make noise.

"The Falcons have such a demanding schedule at Air Force. They are so disciplined. And it carries over to their offense."

Said Giddens: "We were lucky to beat them by as much as we did at our place and I expect in their place, it's going to be a fight all the way to the finish."

The Falcons shot 27.5 percent in The Pit. They opened the game going 1-of-15 from the floor. Tim Anderson, their top scorer, didn't score until the game was almost over and went 1-of-7 from the field.

"We got them pretty good in The Pit, so you have to figure they are going to be very motivated for us," said Toppert.

Alford says his Lobos need to be motivated, too.

"There are so many things that have to go our way, things we have to do at both ends of the floor to have success," he said. "One of those things is respecting the opponent.

"If they (Lobos) are thinking about anything else but Air Force, we have no chance of winning in Colorado Springs."