The real deal

[brooklyn_esq]

Q: Why have the Lobos struggled the last two times out?
A: Ro Martinez went 3 for 18 from downtown.
The young man was superman, carrying the team on his back. His plus 50% percentage from trey-land was hard to comprehend even for those who watched it.
If he shoots 40% from long range the last two games the Lobos are undefeated and there is no shooting slump.
Right now as Ro goes so goes the Lobos and every coach on the Lobo schedule knows it.
Texas Tech will not let Ro beat them. Someone needs to step it up. Any takers?

PS It must be the Mike Roberts effect but I am remain dismayed every time I see the official bashing and whining by real fans on these sites. ORU was physical with the Lobos and got away with it? Please stop. Do you watch ACC, Big 12 or Big East games? In my back yard when you bitch about the officials it is like wearing a sign on your chest that reads " Meatball". To lend credence to the official bashing that goes on here is to assume some grand conspiracy against UNM exists. The refs all blow calls, they are human, but the games are athletic contests so "physicality" happens.
Man up and stop whining.

Merry Christmas fellow knuckleheads and to the two well adjusted posters(you know who you are) Thanks to RPS for the incredible effort and resulting product and of course GO LOBOS!

[Bret]

Really think this team needs to find a 3rd scorer. From the beginning of the season the "3rd Scorer" has kind of bounced around to different people, and up until now that has worked pretty good. But in order to win consistantly, I think EVERY BB team needs to know that when there 2 bigs are struggling there is a 3rd guy capable of stepping up.

Remains to be seen if it will be DG, PM, or someone else, but if the Lobos are to make a run, I think they need that person to raise their hand, accept the challenge, and be "That guy".

This loss was inevitable, and it just is what it is. Both announcers last night said they see the Pre-Christmas drag almost every year from almost every team. This time we were on the losing end. No big deal.

We win one of the next 2, and enter Conference play 13-2. Not too shabby!

Even at 12-0 I didnt expect an undefeated season, and deep down, neither did anyone else.

Bounce back and show the country what we are made of!

[ldlbfn]

Agree with Brooklyn. PM hit a couple tough shots last night and as his shooting becomes more consistent game in and out that will help. Good thing at 12-0 was winning while not always playing a good consistent 40 giving things to work on. With a loss now, maybe that will drive some of those things in more. Still a very young team with all these frosh and sophs. Didn't see anything RPS had to delete, glad I didn't as I can imagine what was said. Young team, still going to be challenged inside, don't get so upset with a couple bumps.

[lobotracks]

I don't disagree that we need to find a 3rd scorer ,but we need to find someone who is willing to shoot the ball when he is open out of this group.
PMac was 4-5 last night and made his last 4 attempts ,but we did not get him another look. Dennis had 7 pts in what 12 minutes and was taking to the hole strong and very aggressive offensively.

The reason I bring up these 2 guys is they seem to be able to match the athletes who were guarding them.

[NMFANINOKC]

Well said about Dennis.. His physical stature and aggressive attack of hte basket was different then most on our team lastnight.

[KingNoodles]

Bad shooting night at the office...ho hum...next

What I like about this team, well plenty but in years past if we got a bad call or were on the wrong end of a run of calls it seemed crucial or I feared a difference maker, now its more..oh well lets get on with it... and the players seem to get on with it and there is no quit in this team or group.

Very proud of this team last night, some nights the shots just don't fall..what is scary good is I think we are less than half or so as good now as we can develop into by the end of the season.

Well done Coach, enjoy all, stop looking for the dark linings in the Lobo silver clouds

[Doublealum]

While I agree with most of this analysis, I think our real weakness (as we all talked about at the begining of the season) is a lack of a real offenseive post presense. It games like this when to opponent is playing physical tough man D on your shooters, the best way to combat that is to get it into the post who is a threat. This will cause them to sag & then your shooters will get better looks. The only other way is to drive and kick but only DG was some what effective last night. Usually Hobson, Garth & to some extent Fenton can do this. Anyway, I am hoping that just like Farris Brown & AJ begin to establish some post offense. If so, we will much more able to suceed in games like this.

[UWSLobo]

I agree Brooklyn. When our two bigs aren't scoring, we need that third designated option to step up because they can't focus on all the players at one time. The way to stop us is to stop RO on the outside and then clog up the paint with big bodies so that Hobson gets flustered and starts forcing shots. If that happens, I really think that PM needs to step up and start shooting more threes (more than the 4 he shot last night).

It seemed like many times last night we were on the verge of taking a big lead. ORU did a great job of responding when we were at that point of opening a lead. But if a guy like PM can start hitting threes at that particular moment, it will cause opposing teams a lot of problems.

[judas_priest]

I did think the refs did give an edge to ORU, but no more than is usual in college basketball. Had the game been decided by a last minute shot we would legitimately say it was the refs, but last night the Lobos lost because they did not play up to their usual level. Some of that was undoubtedly the good job on D that ORU did, but some of it was also due to the unenveness if performance that all teams experience.

[brooklyn_esq]

but some of it was also due to the unenveness if performance that all teams experience.

Some of it was also due to the barometric pressure in and outside the arena, not to mention the third ORU cheerleader from the left.

[Roob]

Some of it was also due to the barometric pressure in and outside the arena, not to mention the third ORU cheerleader from the left.

You noticed her, too? I think she works at Scores in the offseason.

[Burro lobo]

I didn't quite get that, she can score?

[Roob]

I didn't quite get that, she can score?

Just an off color jab at Brooks. He referenced some Scores girls in a post a couple of weeks ago (the night of the A&M game I believe). Scores is a gentlemen's club in New York.

[Garishwolf]

Scores, need some club cream to rub on our players...lol.

Crazy, but AJ, always gets a foul right off the bat each game, I'd love to see him put good PT in at start of game to help out others, he has improved so much. A priceless learning game for our young team. RO 's going be hounded like that every game, from now on, Nate, PMAC, Flirt are going to start taking the pressure off of DH and RO.

The TT game is going to be fun.

Score baby.

[sdsuphilip]

PM has to step up for the Lobos

[wallyhopp]

I agree about the first part with Ro. but that second part about refs? nah. when its warranted, let people talk. I agree theres a thin line between whining and warranted "excuses". but you shouldnt lump everyone into that catergory as a wussy who needs to man up.

ill die in my grave with the thought that refs dictate more than many people think.

a bad shooting night is one thing... ill just leave it at that.

i guess im just an excuse maker for life

garish, was that AJ foul that moving screen in the beginning of the game? maybe one of the only ones called all game. those guys pick and choose, poke and prod, and consistency is never there. Tell me, as a player, when you dont know what the heck refs are going to call, how can you play aggressive? if you see one team playing aggressive D, and you try that but get fouls called, where do you go? you get hesitent. I've seen it all too well.

Consistency, is all. if you let the lobos get away with murder out there, let the other team play tough and rumble too. A moving screen on one end, should result in them being equally aware on the other side.