USU men face another road test against New Mexico
Utah State’s men’s basketball team faces one of its toughest road tests of the season at New Mexico.
The Lobos have struggled in recent games, losing four of their last five games by an average of almost seven points. Three of those losses were on the road however. UNM has lost just one home game in conference thus far — 80-69 to UNLV — and have a signature win over then sixth-ranked Nevada 85-58.
“Anybody that can beat Nevada and not only beat Nevada but in the fashion that (New Mexico) beat Nevada, you know they’re loaded with talent and ability,” said USU head coach Craig Smith.
Smith, who has experienced “the Pit” as an assistant coach at Colorado State (never winning a game at UNM in five seasons) described it as a “difficult place to win” and a “difficult place to communicate.”
Smith pointed out that USU has already played in two comparable environments at BYU and Houston. Both were losses as major scoring droughts in the first half doomed each of those outings. But the first-year head coach hopes their fortunes will change this time around.
“Hopefully we’re making progress with that,” Smith said. “Hopefully (playing those road games) will help us in the game against New Mexico.”
Road games in general have been an up-and-down affair with the Aggies. On the season, the team is 4-3 in true road games and 6-4 overall away from the confines of the Spectrum. Winning on the road has been a day one emphasis from Smith who has tried to teach a relatively young team the secret to winning away from home.
“At the end of the day you’ve just got to lock in to what matters: Getting yourself ready, both physically and mentally to go and compete,” Smith said. “None of the other stuff matters and it’s easy to get caught up in to all the other stuff.
Smith added that you have to be “sound fundamentally,” as well as “disciplined” and “mentally tough” to win games on the road.
One of the keys to avoiding the Nevada treatment lies in slowing down Lobos guard Anthony Mathis. Mathis currently ranks 15th in the country in 3-point field goals made with 69. The senior has five games this season where he’s made at least five triples, four with at least six and two with seven). He was 5 of 14 from deep against Nevada.
“He’s a big key,” Smith said. “When he makes one; two, three and four are coming really quick and he starts feeling it. He plays a little bit like Steph Curry where he’s 25 feet away and it’s not a surprise if he shoots and makes it.”
Along with stopping Mathis, the Aggies will have to be at their best on the glass. Utah State has outrebounded all but one team this year (Houston 35-32) but will face a challenge against the Lobos.
“They might be the biggest team that we’ve seen from top to bottom,” Smith said. “We’ve got to be able to neutralize them on the glass and not let them get easy second-chance points.”
New Mexico ranks fourth in rebounds per game (36.5) in the Mountain West. Utah State is first (41.2).
On the Utah State side, Neemias Queta will once again likely play a major role in locking down the paint on both ends. No Lobo rotation player has the length to handle to Portuguese center inside. The Aggies have looked Queta’s way more often on offense as of late as he’s seen his average field goal attempts and points per game rise from 6.1 and 9.7, respectively, in 13 non-conference games to 7.7 and 13.8 through six Mountain West contests.
Sam Merrill will likely draw the primary defensive assignment on Mathis and will also look to reverse his recent run of ineffective shooting on offense. In conference play, the junior guard has shot just 43 percent overall and 30 percent from three — a long drop from the 50 percent and 40 percent he shot in non-conference.