New Mexico shows what Fresno State is missing. ‘We couldn’t win our individual matchups’
Fresno State had beaten New Mexico nine of the past 10 meetings, including a four-point win in January. But the Bulldogs got blown out on Tuesday in a 94-80 loss at The Pit in Albuquerque, the Lobos highlighting the discrepancy between the teams on offense.
New Mexico has shot creators and shot makers. It plays at a high pace and can exploit mismatches in the backcourt and in the paint, something that it forgot in that loss at the Save Mart Center.
Guards Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn and forward Morris Udeze are tough matchups, and Morris went for 25 points and House 24 as the Lobos knocked down 58.2% of their shots including 53.3% from three and were 22 of 27, 81.5%, at the free throw line.
“They came to play,” coach Justin Hutson said. “I think we beat them a few times in a row and they came in on their Senior Night and they came to play, and so did we. We answered with a couple punches ourselves and even with Eduardo Andre getting in foul trouble we stayed in it.
“We just couldn’t sustain. We couldn’t win our individual matchups. House was going by (Isaiah Hill). Udeze was beating double teams inside. Jemarl (Baker) was giving up threes on the weak side consistently, late in getting to them. Our individual matchups, we just couldn’t hang with them.”
The Bulldogs (10-19, 6-12 in the MW) were within three with 19:10 remaining, but New Mexico went on a 12-0 run and led by as many as 18 late while scoring the most points of any opponent in the 151 games Hutson has coached at Fresno State.
The Lobos were the most recent team to put up 95 or more on the Bulldogs in a 95-86 overtime victory in 2018.
Bulldogs notes
Fresno State 88-68 home loss to New Mexico 6-12 and will be seeded between No. 7 and No. 10 at the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas next week. The Bulldogs play a non-conference Senior Day game against Chicago State on Saturday at the Save Mart Center. Tip is scheduled for 4 p.m. The first round of the conference tournament is March 8 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Guard Jordan Campbell played 27 minutes, scoring 10 points with five rebounds and two assists. They key was aggressively getting into the paint, where he got three of his made baskets. Campbell had not played 20 or more minutes since a Jan. 21 victory over UNLV, and had played fewer than 10 four times over his past 10 game
“I thought JC played really well,” Hutson said. “You never know when it’s coming, right? You never know when it’s coming and now that he did it, hopefully we can sustain it. I thought he was poised tonight. We were at elevation, and he wasn’t whining about the elevation. I thought for the most part he took good shots. You know, he left some on the table early and we got on him about it, going harder to the rim instead of taking these fadeaway hooks and he got to the rim at the end. When he does that, he gives us another piece on the offensive end and that athleticism. I thought that was a positive tonight.”
Andre has fouled out or had four fouls seven times in the past eight games.
Fresno State women
The Bulldogs women’s team wrapped up the regular season Tuesday with an 88-68 home loss to New Mexico. Fresno State (10-21, 3-15) is the No. 9 seed in the Mountain West Tournament and play No. 8 in the first round Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center.