Photo by Joe Grimando
ALBUQUERQUE, NM–New Mexico continued to embody one of March’s oldest and truest sayings, “survive and advance”. After a convincing first round 107-83 win over Sam Houston on Wednesday night. Coach Eric Olen’s squad looked to Sunday, where they’d face a foe from Lobo lore, George Washington.
Countless program’s have essentially ended their seasons already while beginning to build their roster for next season. Not the Lobos and the Revolutionaries. These two programs don’t share a ton of recent history. Having last played each other in the 1993 NCAA Tournament.
A game where the No. 5 Seeded New Mexico fell to No. 12 seeded George Washington Colonels (name officially changed in 2023), 82-68. George Washington was led by a future lottery pick at the time in Yinka Dare.
On Sunday all of that history would be well in the rearview, but a chance at making new history for the taking.
First Half
The tip was won by the visiting squad, but neither had a shot fall in their first few possessions of the game.
It was Uriah Tenette who drew the foul from Christian Jones to head to the free throw. He would only go one of two at the line, but the freshman gave the home team their first points.
Both sides struggled to get the scoring going. As only one point was generated in the first three minutes or so of play. A Luke Haupt three pointer gave New Mexico their first field goal of the game.
Jones ended George Washington’s scoring drought with a two pointer near the basket. Next, Tyrone Marshall Jr. was the recipient of a dish to the paint and after some fumbling he scored the layup to give the Revolutionaries another quick basket.
Jake Hall made a trip to the foul stripe for his first three points of the game after a foul beyond the arc. After sinking all three, the Lobos went up 7-4 as the game approached the fifteen minute mark.
A media timeout gave each side a moment to regroup. George Washington found Trey Autry down low for a layup, after a head fake got his defender in the air and another trying to block the shot from behind. He went to the line, where he went two of two to keep his squad within striking distance.
New Mexico responded on the next play by finding Tomislav Buljan near the post. After some fancy footwork he would bank the shot at the rim. After a defensive stop, the ball found it’s way to Tenette who took the ball into the lane for a rise and fire jumper for two more points.
Jones earned a trip to the charity stripe on the next play, where the 6-4 redshirt sophomore went two of two.
On the next Lobo play, Antonio Chol got the ball and went to work on his defender. Backing him down to the rim, missing the initial shot but getting his own rebound for an easy two points in the paint.
Jones responded with a deep three to keep the deficit to just one possession at 13-11 around the thirteenth minute mark. A miscued Jones out of bounds play unfortunately hit him before it went out of bounds for a George Washington turnover.
After the turnover, a hand off play to JT Rock in the paint was swatted by the Revolutionaries star Rafael Castro, Haupt recovered and drove to the basket for an easy lay in.
A missed Chol deep ball out of the timeout led to a Castro put back attempt on the other end that sent him to the line instead. The big man took his shots with confidence and drained one of two.
The Lobos pushed the pace on the next play and found Tajavis Miller at the top of the key for a knocked down triple to extend the lead to 18-12 approaching the ten minute mark.
George Washington continued to look for their first three pointer on the next play but that one wouldn’t fall either.
As Hall garnered the attention of three Revolutionary defenders, he dished it to a wide open Rock cutting into the lane for a two handed O’Neal-esque flush.
Chris Caputo’s squad needed to respond, but out of their timeout they turned the ball over instead.
After a defensive stop on one end, Autry gave George Washington their second triple of the game to cut the deficit to just five. Jones followed up on their next possession with a tough drive to the basket. Laying the ball right in at the hoop to shrink the Lobo lead to just 20-17 with 8:23 left in the half.
It was his ninth point of the game, scoring more than the rest of his team combined. It was also enough to cause Eric Olen to call his first timeout of the game.
As each side looked for points, Tenette found Hall for a contested three pointer. It was his 110th of the season, enough for sixth most threes all time by a freshman in NCAA history. On the next play, Tenette found some space in the lane and rose for another mid-range jumper.
Tre Dinkins was at the top of the corner and rose for a triple to help keep his squad in this one.
After some ball movement, Buljan found himself in a mismatch scenario and took his defender to the rim for an easy two points. Another stop on the defensive end put the ball right back with Buljan. An overshot pass had the big Croatian too far under the basket. He put his body against Castro, went up and knocked down the basket for a three point opportunity at the line.
As the Lobo defense broke down and allowed a straight drive to the hoop, Haupt took to the sky for a block right at the rim.
After an offensive rebound Buljan found himself in the paint and was wrapped up by two Revolutionaries and was fouled. He would miss the first of a one and one opportunity.
Buljan was creating foul problems for George Washington in the paint. Sending Marshall to the bench with three fouls and the team as a whole with eight while the Lobos only had three at this point of the game.
Bubu Benjamin knocked down a much needed triple as the Lobos displayed some lazy perimeter defense.
George Washington’s defense left New Mexico with some empty possessions, though that didn’t last long.
As Chol intercepted a pass in the paint, the 6-9 guard took the rock coast to coast for a two handed triple to get the crowd on their feet.
Out of the break, very active hands halted a near fast break opportunity off of the Lobo turnover.
That defensive momentum didn’t last long as Tenette stole the ball in the half court and drove to the rock for a two handed flush.
Dinkins didn’t like that and took it right back to the freshman on the other end for a deep triple.
Tenette wasn’t rattled and found a cutting Hall at the baseline for an easy layup. On the next play the Revolutionaries found Castro in the paint with some favorable positioning. He would knock down the layup and head to the free throw line for another free one.
The next play sent Rock to the line for a one and one opportunity, he gave it a little too much power and missed but made up for it on the other end with a blocked shot in the paint.
Buljan intercepted the inbound pass to Castro but a trailing George Washington squad caught up and forced some half court offense before the final minute mark. Benjamin was found at the top corner on the next play for a near wide open triple to shrink the Lobo lead to just 36-32 before the halftime buzzer sounded.
Half Time
The first half could be categorized with plenty of three point shots and the referees allowing each side to battle it out a bit. Only thirteen fouls were called overall in the first half, resulting in seven free throw attempts for the visitors and eight for New Mexico.
Of course a majority of George Washington’s field goal attempts came beyond the three point line. Where they found success about 33.3% of the time (6-18). That’s what kept them in this one, as they went just 4-12 from inside the arc.
The Lobos played efficient defense in the first twenty minutes of play. While finding success scoring in the paint (18 points), but shooting just 25% (3-12) from deep. Already playing shorthanded without Deyton Albury (Flu), this squad needed a scorer to step up. As no Lobo broke the double-digit scoring seal in the first half. A night and day performance from Wednesday’s double-digit beat down over Sam Houston.
Second Half
After a chaotic first possession out of the break, Chol would hit the shot clock, turning the ball over to George Washington.
Haupt ripped the ball away from Marshall in the paint, starting the fast break and sending Chol to the line. He would go one of two.
The next defensive stop looked like much of the same, sparking a fast break that found Hall in the corner for a contested three. It seemed like this Lobo squad was using copy and paste on a keyboard on defense as the very next play. As the ball was poked out and Tenette grabbed it to start another fast break opportunity which found Hall in pretty much the exact spot he drained the deep ball just a possession prior.
He fake pumped a barreling defender to have his look at a wide open three. He drained it and caused the first George Washington timeout of the half. Putting his squad up 43-32 with 18:03 left to go in the game.
After a pair of exchanged turnovers by each side the ball went to George Washington. Where a smothering New Mexico zone forced some tough triples to no avail.
On the other end, Hall stayed in rhythm at the top corner with his fifth three pointer of the game to get the crowd on their feet.
Jones gave the visitors their first bucket of the half by taking the ball to the rim.
The next Lobo play the ball went to Buljan, and after a blocked shot by George Washington he recovered the ball and went right back up for two more points. Extending the Lobo lead to 48-34 as the game approached the fifteen minute mark.
Out of the timeout, Haupt was sent to the line where he would knock down the second of two.
Dinkins stepped up for a fadeaway triple at the buzzer to keep his squad in this one. Shrinking the Lobo lead to 49-37.
A darting Buljan was found by Hall on the fast break but a two handed flush was erased by Castro, who sent the ball into the bleachers. On the next play the freshman took it straight to him, missing the shot but heading to the foul line for two. He would go one of two to break the fifty point seal for New Mexico.
The next play saw Jean Aranguren sent to the line after a strong drive to the hoop. He would drain them both.
The full court press would force the Lobos to slow things down a tad. After some ball movement, Miller took the rock to the basket for a rare but welcome layup at the rim.
The French freshman Timeo Pons earned his points of the night with a contested three point jumper right over the head of Aranguren, extending the lead to sixteen at the 12:29 mark.
A driving Tenette nearly earned the old school three point play after blazing past several George Washington defenders. The lay in rolled out but he went to the line for two more free ones.
Out of the timeout Jones hit the box score once again with a cutting lay up at the hoop, his thirteenth point of the game.
Tenette continued to me an offensive maestro, finding a cutting Pons on the baseline for the emphatic slam. Dinkins answered with a quick jumper on the other end.
While Tenette earned another assist, this time a pass to a wide open Rock for his first deep ball of the game.
George Washington’s big answered right back, but with an offensive board and put back in the paint to try and shrink his squad’s deficit.
Any momentum gained was just met with more Lobo points. As Tenette let his teammates handle the rock for a small break but stayed ready for the kick out and triple extend their lead to 65-48 with 9:08 left in the game. Coach Caputo had to stop the bleeding and called his second timeout of the half.
Out of the break Dinkle would miss the three point attempt. Rock would grab the board and then head to the paint on the other end for a hook shot a few feet away from the basket on the assist from Chol.
George Washington continued to find their hottest hand as Jones was left unguarded in the top corner and drained the kick out triple. A defensive stop that included a beautiful help side defensive swat in the paint forced a Lobo shot clock violation.
The media timeout gave George Washington just the minor reset they needed, as back to back buckets by Benjamin and Autry gave the Revolutionaries the 5-0 scoring run.
The Lobos gave the ball to Buljan on the next play, battling for positioning and earning the contested layup and a trip to the free throw line. He wouldn’t complete the three point play. But another defensive stop sparked a fast break where Haupt found a trailing Miller in the corner for a leaning three pointer.
A fifth foul on Marshall Jr. sent the graduate forward to the bench for the night and Buljan to the charity stripe for two easy ones, something we would not have typed so easily the last few weeks.
Now with less than five minutes to go, Haupt took advantage of a George Washington defense that looked a bit fatigued. Driving the ball, giving his defender and his help side defender a little shimmy, absorbing the bump and earning the three point play. Putting the Lobos up by 21-points (77-56) with 4:31 left in the game.
Another stop by the Lobos on defense led to a Hall isolation play in the paint. Creating space and draining the mid-range jumper. The next possession Haupt broke down the defense, drew two defenders and dished it to Rock for the unencumbered two handed slam.
Even with a short bench, the Lobos continued to outrun their opponents on the court. As the seven-foot one Rock found himself on the break with two trailing Revolutionaries at one point. He didn’t make the layup but Miller was there for the easy cleanup layup.
Aranguren kissed one beautifully off of the glass out of the timeout. But a turnover on their next possession gave the ball right back to New Mexico. In the final minute of play each squad exchanged a triple. One by Tenette and an answer back by Aranguren.
The final buzzer rang and New Mexico secured their path to the NIT quarterfinals with an 86-61 win over the Revolutionaries. George Washington’s players stood on the court with their hands on their knees, their elevation induced fatigue on full display.
The Lobos managed to just outlast their visitors, spreading their scoring across eight players, half of whom scored double digit points over the Revolutionaries. Outscoring them with dominance in the paint (36-16), on fast break points (19-6) and on second chance opportunities (19-6).
Coach Olen’s squad also put on an elite defensive performance as well. Allowing only five assists while sending George Washington to the free throw line only nine times all night. The Lobos played an entirely different game than their Wednesday night victory over the Bearkats. But stuck to the game plan down a man and defended their fortress for the second time this week.
Players of the Game:
New Mexico-Uriah Tenette, Freshman Guard, 15 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals on 55.5% (5-9) shooting from the floor, 50% (2-4) from deep and 75% (3-4) from the free throw line in 35 minutes of action
Fellow freshman Jake Hall may have scored more points but without starting floor general Deyton Albury, Tenette stepped up and helped facilitate this Lobo offense to a double-digit win over their A10 foe.
George Washington-Tre Dinkins Graduate Guard, 14 points and 2 assists while shooting 35.7% (5-14) from the field and 40% (4-10) in 30 minutes on the floor
As Christian Jones found himself in foul trouble rather quickly, Dinkins was the only other Revolutionary knocking down shots. Keeping his squad within striking distance for most of the game until the Lobos managed to pull away.
Up Next:
George Washington saw the curtain closed on their season Sunday night. Finishing the year 19-16, and 8-10 in the Atlantic 10. The preseason title hopefuls will look to recharge and retool for next season in Washington D.C.
The Lobos announced their intention to host their quarterfinal matchup against either California or Saint Joseph’s Tuesday in the Pit. After their win over the Revolutionaries, New Mexico reaches their first NIT Quarterfinal appearance in twenty-five years.
Larry Muniz is a Mountain West Basketball beat writer for Couch Potato Sports, along with West Coast mid-major coverage at Mid-Major Madness.
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