New Mexico senior guard Hugh Greenwood has been the cornerstone for UNM’s success as of late and feels that the young, struggling Lobos might need to put in a little more work than they have been.
The Lobos start one freshman, Sam Logwood, and play five other players with no Division I experience. Greenwood said he thinks the team could put some more time in the gym before and after practices.
“It just comes down to making shots. Guys have to come in the gym and make shots,” Greenwood said. “(They have to) put in the extra work. I know it’s tough with school and the travel schedule that we have, but it being basketball and if we want to play at the next level, you want to play professionally, you got to be willing to put in the extra time. And guys need to go and do that on their own time.”
Greenwood feels that the team’s immaturity and lack of experience at the Division I level have caused the ups and downs this season has presented.
“I think again that comes down to a maturity thing,” Greenwood said. “Guys coming out of high school being stars on their team, studs on their team and coming to Division I basketball — especially a conference as tough as this, it’s a reality check. I don’t think guys are ready for it.”
The Lobos (14-13, 6-9 Mountain West) will need to throw all distractions, including a six-game skid, out of the window when they head to Boise, Idaho to play the streaking third-place Boise State Broncos today.
BSU is arguably the hottest team in the Mountain West right now and will look to continue that hot streak against a struggling UNM squad. The Broncos have won 10 of their last 11 games of the season, including six in a row at home.
The Broncos (20-7, 10-4 Mountain West) are led by their senior guard and potential front-runner for Mountain West Player of the Year, Derrick Marks, who is averaging 22.1 points per game in conference play.
“They got, I think, the best player in the league (Marks),” UNM coach Craig Neal said. “I don’t even think it’s close.”
The last time the two teams met, Marks and sophomore forward James Webb III combined to score an incredible 51 points, which was all but 18 of the teams 69 total points.
Senior guard Deshawn Delaney led the Lobos in scoring, netting a team-high 13 points on 6 of 10 shooting. Greenwood chipped in six points while connecting on zero 3-pointers. Since that game, Greenwood has made at least two or more shots from behind the arc in every game.
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UNM has struggled on the road in conference play, losing five of their seven meetings on the road this season, but Neal isn’t making excuses for his team.
“It’s another road game and we have to go up there and compete, play as hard as we can and try to get something going,” Neal said.
Kyle Tomasi is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter
@KyTo22.
Men’s basketball
vs. Boise State
Tuesday 9 p.m.
TV: ESPNU
Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho
