Rice Crushed UNO 83-49

[UWSLobo]

I think that puts our win in a little more perspective, not that we did not know already that UNO was subpar competition. UNO is Division II quality, and when considering they have a new coach and so many new players, they really are a below average Division II team.

At one point, Rice had a 36 point lead in the 2nd half.

So when NMSU arrives in The Pit Wednesday, be prepared for a real battle. We should prevail, but I predict a close, hard fought game.

The numbers in the Rice game and UNM's game are very similar, with exception that Rice actually suffered 25 turnovers!. UNO is not a very good shooting team right now.

Rice shooting against UNO - 54%
UNO shooting against Rice - 24%

UNM shooting against UNO - 59%
UNO shooting against UNM - 25%

Rice total rebounds against UNO - 54
UNO total rebounds against Rice - 22

UNM total rebounds against UNO - 50
UNO total rebounds against UNM - 25

[zoom]

all good info but curious how the comparisons stack up for the first half...the lobos were less than stellar in the last ten minutes of the game but it was already long over...new orleans was completely shell shocked in the first half against the lobos...

[btmmmpk]

Rice was up 13 at the half, and I love being told how I should feel about a win.....

[btmmmpk]

in other news unlv beat hawaii in football and hawaii beat nmsu in football so were better than nmsu now.... comparing scores is complete garbage...

[UWSLobo]

UNO was in the game for most of 1st half, and with just 1:43 left to play in the half, they were down by just 5, 28 to 23. Rice then ended the half with 8 unanswered points to lead at halftime 36-23. The difference between the UNM game and Rice game was that Rice did not hit their shots (just 46% FG shooting in 1st half against UNO) while the Lobos were blistering the net at a clip of 70%. Yup, UNO was shell shocked, and it was probably because it was their first real game playing together, and in the intimidating confines of The Pit. By the way, we had 14,011 at the game, but in the Rice game, only 1,719 fans showed up.

Yes, we stalled there a bit in 2nd half, especially when our second string was playing. But our torrid shooting in 1st half (70% FG shooting) was bound to come down.

Rice starters averaged 21 minutes and UNM's starters also averaged 21 minutes, which indicates second string was used a lot by both coaches.

Thus, I think comparing the two games is somewhat useful. The point being that UNO is a terrible team right now, and UNM is not nearly as good as we looked.

[UWSLobo]

in other news unlv beat hawaii in football and hawaii beat nmsu in football so were better than nmsu now.... comparing scores is complete garbage...

This is not simply a comparison of scores. Rice is a team expected to finish in the middle of Conf USA, so for them to crush UNO just as we did, it shows how truly awful UNO is right now. I'm not comparing UNM to Rice at all. The point is that it's silly for our fans to say our Bigs did this and our Bigs did that (against a much smaller team), and for Coach Alford to be pleased with how the team did is great.....but we need to keep it in perspective......anyone can look great against UNO.......Rice proved that. That's all I'm saying....we should not be too giddy.

[UWSLobo]

CBS projects Rice 7th of 12 teams in conf USA.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...conference-usa

[loborick]

Debbie Downer much? If people want to point out the good things the Lobos did in the game, why not? Comparative scores don't mean crap. What if they were so beat up after the whipping the Lobos gave them? After this football season having some hope and optimism is a new thing for Lobo fans. Why spoil it?

[UWSLobo]

Debbie Downer much? If people want to point out the good things the Lobos did in the game, why not?

I never said they should not point out what the Lobos did well, just that it's silly to act as if the performance is any real indicator of how good we are. There is a difference.

Comparative scores don't mean crap. What if they were so beat up after the whipping the Lobos gave them?

I think you would have a point if UNO had lost by say ten points or even 20. They could argue that they were tired due to the Lobo game or some other factor from that game played a role in the loss. But that argument loses its steam when you look at the final score: UNO lost by 34 points to a middle of the pack WAC team in from of just 1,719 fans. That can only mean one thing - UNO is a very, very bad team. Hence, Lobos should not take their win against UNO as anything but a grain of salt.

this football season having some hope and optimism is a new thing for Lobo fans. Why spoil it?

I don't think Lobo fans have the eggshell mentality that you speak of. But if we are going to face a pretty good NMSU team, shouldn't fans' expectations be realistic or would you rather us have overconfidence and delusion?

[loborick]

I don't think you give fans enough credit. We can enjoy our team's performance while still realizing it was poor competition and does not reflect how we will do against better competition. That doesn't mean we can't praise and admire the accomplishments of the team against New Orleans. I don't think anyone's deluded by the New Orleans' win to think we will roll over the Aggies because of it.

[UWSLobo]

I don't think you give fans enough credit. We can enjoy our team's performance while still realizing it was poor competition and does not reflect how we will do against better competition. That doesn't mean we can't praise and admire the accomplishments of the team against New Orleans. I don't think anyone's deluded by the New Orleans' win to think we will roll over the Aggies because of it.

True, but did fans really know how bad UNO was after they played the Lobos? I didn't. I contributed much of the beating to the Lobos great defense (which is the same thing that coach Alford said in his presser) and the speed of our Guards. But now we know their poor shooting had more to do with their lack of overall talent (and lack of height) than with what the Lobos did. Just something to keep in mind if you choose to do so.

[LoboMike]

We could have beat them by 80 if we wanted. Alford called off the dogs in the second half. We didn't push the tempo near as much.

[btmmmpk]

Just so know most fans are smarter than you think. ON my twittter account I posted that I thought new orleans was the worst team to ever set foot in the pit. I just don't think fans need to be told how to feel after a game is played, they can make their own observations.

[UWSLobo]

We could have beat them by 80 if we wanted. Alford called off the dogs in the second half. We didn't push the tempo near as much.

Ok so the score could have been 120 to 40, but that does not change the analysis that if a middle of the pack team like Rice can whip them, it still means that UNO is a terrible team. The key point is that we really can't say we did anything well in the game against UNO (in a comparative sense) because we did not play a decent Division I school. All we can really say is that we beat them. There is no way to know if we truly played well because the talent was so uneven.

The Rice game adds perspective.

[LoboMike]

Ok so the score could have been 120 to 40, but that does not change the analysis that if a middle of the pack team like Rice can whip them, it still means that UNO is a terrible team. The key point is that we really can't say we did anything well in the game against UNO (in a comparative sense) because we did not play a decent Division I school. All we can really say is that we beat them. There is no way to know if we truly played well because the talent was so uneven.

The Rice game adds perspective.

So be it. I don't think anyone is making too much of that game and they know that NO is terrible.

We showed what we could do in the first half and blitzed them. The last 10-15 minutes of the game, we were just going through the motions.

[UWSLobo]

Just so know most fans are smarter than you think. ON my twittter account I posted that I thought new orleans was the worst team to ever set foot in the pit. I just don't think fans need to be told how to feel after a game is played, they can make their own observations.

You, my friend, are in a class of Lobo fans who are realistic......but I'm sure there are other fans who aren't. This thread is for them.

Plus, Coach Alford did the team no favors by allowing the team to beat up on WNMU, Davenport, and UNO. If you want to learn about your team (what works and what doesn't and who the better players are), competition should have been a little stiffer, and the team should have been exposed to at least some adversity in order to prepare them for what lies ahead. I hope the team is ready to face a good opponent in NMSU. It will be the first time facing any kind of challenge.

[loborick]

You, my friend, are in a class of Lobo fans who are realistic......but I'm sure there are other fans who aren't. This thread is for them.

Plus, Coach Alford did the team no favors by allowing the team to beat up on WNMU, Davenport, and UNO. If you want to learn about your team (what works and what doesn't and who the better players are), competition should have been a little stiffer, and the team should have been exposed to at least some adversity in order to prepare them for what lies ahead. I hope the team is ready to face a good opponent in NMSU. It will be the first time facing any kind of challenge.

Thanks so much for this.

[ThreePointShot]

True, but did fans really know how bad UNO was after they played the Lobos?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I thought when exiting the arena that New Orleans was the worst opposing team I'd seen on the Pit floor in a very long time. Despite that, I saw a lot of good things from the Lobos that I was happy about.

For one, I was very pleased with their consistent effort against an obviously outmanned and inferior opponent, despite building a laughably huge lead. Only late in the game did the scoring onslaught slow down with the starters basically out. Had Alford wanted, the Lobos could easily have scored another 15 or 20 points. I also liked the Lobos' tenacity on defense. If they can bring it like that every night and against both good teams and lesser teams, they will be in for a very good season. So those were positives for me.

But I don't pay much attention to comparative scores. Obviously things will be very different in a rivalry game against a much better and bigger opponent in the Aggies. I expect that to be a close and hard fought game.

[Ltlf]

You, my friend, are in a class of Lobo fans who are realistic......but I'm sure there are other fans who aren't. This thread is for them.

Plus, Coach Alford did the team no favors by allowing the team to beat up on WNMU, Davenport, and UNO. If you want to learn about your team (what works and what doesn't and who the better players are), competition should have been a little stiffer, and the team should have been exposed to at least some adversity in order to prepare them for what lies ahead. I hope the team is ready to face a good opponent in NMSU. It will be the first time facing any kind of challenge.

Thanks for the observations. I would never have guessed that NMSU might be better than NO without them.

[JulieG]

Just so know most fans are smarter than you think. ON my twittter account I posted that I thought new orleans was the worst team to ever set foot in the pit. I just don't think fans need to be told how to feel after a game is played, they can make their own observations.

Not quite sure that was the worst team in the Pit, but then I have been around a bit longer than you

[RustyTX]

when "sub-par" teams are beat by 30 or more points it generally is not reflective of how good or how bad. There is just a point of diminishing returns. Additionally, the coaching staff may be trying different lineups or different plays. We, as fans, don't know the big picture. To say we are not as good as thought is a bit of an over reaction and should be taken with a grain of salt.

[COLOLOBO]

You, my friend, are in a class of Lobo fans who are realistic......but I'm sure there are other fans who aren't. This thread is for them.

Plus, Coach Alford did the team no favors by allowing the team to beat up on WNMU, Davenport, and UNO. If you want to learn about your team (what works and what doesn't and who the better players are), competition should have been a little stiffer, and the team should have been exposed to at least some adversity in order to prepare them for what lies ahead. I hope the team is ready to face a good opponent in NMSU. It will be the first time facing any kind of challenge.

Well you might be forgetting that Coach scheduled who he could get. With the MTN down to only a few teams there were gaping holes on the schedule that needed to be filled. They did the best that they could do. Better teams had their schedule filled or did not want to step foot in the PIT or wanted 2 for 1 games at their place. Additionally, UNM needs to schedule a certain amount of men’s home basketball games for the revenue that supports it and the other sports that have no positive revenue. I get so tired to fans not knowing why things happen and just throw things up against the wall to see if it sticks!
Now that we have put that into perspective you are correct that the Coach had to make some tough decisions regarding the schedule and I am sure that it is not one that he wanted. This bunch will play very hard against any foe and NMSU will not be an exception. If the Aggies leave the PIT with less than a 10 point loss I will be shocked. And if the Aggies do not have their "A" game it will be much greater.
People we need to understand that this is an exceptional team the coaching staff has assembled. You never hear Coach say this is a "good team" (UNM). He went on to say they need to stay aggressive to become a great team and for those that start to keep their spot. He went on to say that he didn't need to motivate them they motivate their selves in order to keep their minutes. This is adlib and not a direct quote but it is pretty close to what he said.
Coach is hard to please and he demands all-out effort and when he compliments his team that way he knows what he has. They will be ready for State and anyone else this year. Now there is always the possibility of a bump in the road or a letdown but those will be few and far between and State will not be one of them. This will be a PIT game!

[UWSLobo]

I get so tired to fans not knowing why things happen and just throw things up against the wall to see if it sticks!

I assume this comment was meant for me.....Sure, there were many reasons those three teams were chosen (as you say economics played a role and also timing)...but I believe my point is still valid. Looking at those three teams, they did very little IMHO to prep the team for two tough upcoming games in NMSU and ASU on the road (and I hope we have not set the team up for a fall). The contrast in talent is huge. If that's all they could schedule, then it is what it is. That's the answer. But it's valid criticism IMHO.

Now, the issue you speak of is a different one, mainly whether or not they should have been scheduled in the first place, but that issue is way outside our bailiwick. We have no real idea why those three were chosen (at least I don't), so I won't even go there. I just would have preferred if possible to schedule at least one team that would have challenged the team a little as opposed to going from a dearth of talent in UNO to a lot of talent with NMSU. I hope my concerns are unjustified.

[ricoLobo]

True, but did fans really know how bad UNO was after they played the Lobos? I didn't. I contributed much of the beating to the Lobos great defense (which is the same thing that coach Alford said in his presser) and the speed of our Guards. But now we know their poor shooting had more to do with their lack of overall talent (and lack of height) than with what the Lobos did. Just something to keep in mind if you choose to do so.

Considering they only have 4 1/2 scholarships to award, and have had to drop down to DII, yes, I had a pretty good idea that they wouldn't be giving UNM much trouble.

[Garishwolf]

Wasted thread,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,LOBOs looked great, a fun game that could have blowout the oppents, love SA mixing n matching our studly roster....Finding what goes where............THAT is why you, play these games and not just ring a 100 for the heck out of it.

[mikexom]

Wow! Looks like I picked the wrong time to give up smoking.....

[JTX]

We play in The PIT! Nobody is walking away with a win this year.

[Lobonick]

One thing I am sure of after the first 3 games is that SA and Noodles have put together the most talented team the Pit has ever seen. Ever! Tell me when or if you have ever seen this many players going to the NBA on the team at the same time. No doubt in my mind that we have at least 4 to 6 legit NBA players on our roster right now. The only question for me is how good this team will be and can they find the right combinations for a deep run come March.

[LoboCubs23]

Ok so the score could have been 120 to 40, but that does not change the analysis that if a middle of the pack team like Rice can whip them, it still means that UNO is a terrible team. The key point is that we really can't say we did anything well in the game against UNO (in a comparative sense) because we did not play a decent Division I school. All we can really say is that we beat them. There is no way to know if we truly played well because the talent was so uneven.

The Rice game adds perspective.

I think you were setting too much on the New Orleans team. I dont really get the point you are trying to make. Everyone in the Pit knew that team will be one of the worst teams in NCAA basketball this year. That being said we called off the dogs big time in the second half. I yes I did glean quite a bit from the game. 1. Phillips shot appears to be back because it was falling with hands in his face. #2 DD is our best on ball defender of all the guards, 3. Cam will be a load on the block all year. I really dont care about the competition. I fully expect to beat NMSU and beat them easily, not based on some common opponent UNO played, but on what I know about each program, and the fact that Marvin Menzies is NMSU's coach. So I want to know other than this opponent, what makes you think the Aggies will give us a game. Where are their advantages? Not on the perimeter? Not on in the paint, not the bench, not the coaching staff? So you come in here and say that we are not nearly as good as people are saying (your words in an earlier post) where do you come off saying that? I dont get it!

[DAshroom34]

I'm so glad you said it cubs! We are going to dominate NMSU, especially here. It doesn't matter that rice beat uno badly. Has nothing to do with the NMSU game. I know NMSU is "better than last year," but so are we... a lot better. I completely expect a double digit win against state.