Finger pointing, frustration and confusion have left the UNM men's basketball season teetering on the edge.
Just two weeks ago, the Lobos were alone in fourth place in the conference with a .500 record at 4-4.
But after a back-breaking road swing over the past two weeks that saw UNM drop three straight to Air Force, BYU and Utah - the latter two losses by a combined 47 points - the Lobos were left questioning themselves as a team and a contender.
"It was frustrating out on the road, playing as horribly as we did," freshman Lenny Miles said. "It affects you. As much as you try to hide it, deep down inside you want to burst out. It happened, but it was out of character for us. It is not who we are as a team."
UNM (13-11, 4-7) lies in sixth place, ahead of only cellar-dwelling Colorado State and Wyoming.
It is a hard notion to swallow.
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Now, only one place can cure their season-on-the-brink and resurrect the wounded squad - the confines of home.
"It's always great to come home," Miles said. "We have to get back on track again, and at home is the only place we seem to play well. Everybody is back on the same page, and we have to go out and get these crucial wins."
UNM welcomes San Diego State and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas this weekend for its final home stand of the year.
For two seniors, Javin Tindall and Ryan Ashcraft, it will be their final games at The Pit.
Tomorrow night, UNM gets its shot to rebound from a horrific road swing, as it challenges the Aztecs of SDSU.
The Aztecs (14-12, 5-6) recently swept Wyoming and Colorado State at home. But on the road, they have their own troubles. Only 2-8 away from home this year, they - like the Lobos - have yet to win a conference game on an opponent's floor.
Rewind to the first meeting between the Aztecs and the Lobos on Feb. 2. Playing without starting center David Chiotti, the Lobos were helpless on the interior. But in the first half, UNM rained threes, hitting eight of them before its first two-point bucket. Ultimately in the second half, the Aztec's star forward Aerick Sanders gobbled the inside, capitalizing on the Lobos' weak inside defense to the tune of 27 points and 10 rebounds. UNM lost that game 72-68 after squandering a healthy first half lead.
This time around, the story might be different. Chiotti is back and healthy, while the Lobos are hungry for their own devouring of a conference foe.
"Having Chiotti will make a huge difference," Miles said. "He is one of our primary inside players. With his ability to score and play great defense, he is going to help us tremendously inside."
Game time is set for tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at Bob King Court. The game will be televised live on KRQE Channel 13 and can be heard on 770 KKOB AM.
