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New Mexico’s “Drive for Five” is complete.
Remaining in first place from wire to wire, the No. 14 Lobos captured the Mountain West regular-season title for the fourth time in five years. Last season’s MWC tournament title makes five titles, and the Lobos will defend that crown at next week’s tourney in Las Vegas, Nev., as the No. 1 seed.
UNM clinched at least a share of the MWC regular-season title with Saturday’s 53-42 victory over Wyoming. A few hours later, the Lobos won the title outright when Boise State defeated second-place Colorado State 78-65.
The championship feat happened in UNM’s final home game of the season before a capacity crowd of 15,411. Seniors Chad Adams and Jamal Fenton, already UNM’s winningest players, walked off The Pit floor for the final time as conference champions.
“I wanted to leave on a good note,” Fenton said after he and his teammates cut down the net, a basketball tradition. “I’ll be the first boy in my family to graduate from college, which is pretty good for my family. So I would just love to leave like that.”
The Cowboys (18-11, 4-11 MWC) reprised the game plan they used when they played UNM Jan. 30: slow the game down, focus less on inside play and fire shot after shot from the 3-point line. They made seven triples, with sophomore guard Riley Grabau hitting four. Their five first-half treys were a key component to the Wyoming offense.
But New Mexico (25-4, 12-2 MWC) relied on what it’s known for, as well: a stout half-court defense. The Lobos contained Wyoming to 28.1 percent shooting from the field. Though the Cowboys hit those first-half 3-pointers, they were just 2 of 11 from the arc in the latter 20 minutes.
“I felt like I was watching the movie ‘Hoosiers’ with no shot clock, with the game being at that tempo, but that’s what they do,” UNM head coach Steve Alford said. “We’ve seen all kinds of different styles this season, and that’s what’s so special about this team is that they’ve been able to find ways to win.”
In the last five minutes and overtime of games this season, UNM has limited opponents to 33 percent shooting. Though UNM’s defense was tough, it committed just 12 fouls.
The Lobos sent Wyoming to the line seven times. The Cowboys did not take their first free-throw shot until midway through the second half, finishing the game 3 of 7. UNM, meanwhile, made 21 of 27 free throws. Junior forward Cameron Bairstow was 7 of 8 from the line, and freshman guard Cleveland Thomas made all six of his free throws.
While the defense was on, UNM’s low shooting persisted. The Lobos were 35.7 percent from the field and made two of their 14 attempted 3-pointers. UNM has made 41.6 percent this season.
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Bairstow and sophomore center Alex Kirk combined for more than half of UNM’s offensive output. Kirk netted a game-high 15 points and Bairstow scored 13. Both players were one rebound away from a double-double. Junior guard Kendall Williams had seven points but provided six assists. Junior guard Tony Snell added nine points.
Grabau’s 14 points led Wyoming’s scoring. He was the only Cowboy in double figures. The Lobos held Wyoming’s top player, forward Leonard Washington, scoreless over 10 minutes. Wyoming coach Larry Shyatt said he limited Washington’s play because of a back injury.
UNM held a 25-19 halftime lead, pushing that advantage to 34-26 six minutes into the second half. Both teams went through significant shooting droughts after that point. The Lobos played three minutes without a field goal, and Wyoming slightly over five minutes.
“It’s never an ugly win,” Alford said. “The play may be ugly, but the win is always beautiful.”
