Tough match-up tonight against one of the better teams in the MWC. New Mexico is good, but they aren't elite, so the Cowboys will have a chance to win this game if they play well. At this point in the season, it's pretty clear what this team's weaknesses and strengths are. Those aren't going to change overnight, and likely won't change much this entire season. We will have to hope the shots are falling for the Pokes tonight. If not, it is going to be very tough for them to pull off the upset tonight.
Player to Watch: Cameron Bairstow (F, 6'9, 250 lbs, Sr.)
Kendall Williams gets all the hype and Alex Kirk gets most the pub when it comes to the Lobos frontcourt, but Bairstow is arguably the best player for New Mexico this season. In fact, there is a very good case to be made that he is the MWC player of the year so far. He has made an unbelievable transformation from a role player last year to an absolutely dominant force down low this year. He utilizes his strength to his advantage and has flawless body control and awareness of positioning. He gets 10-15 points every single night just by putting himself in the right position and sealing his defender as the ball moves around the perimeter.
I know everyone thinks the sky is falling after the Nevada loss, but I don't expect this game to be a blowout. I'm not going to predict a Cowboys win, but they will keep this game within reach and give themselves a chance to win should New Mexico have a bad game or make uncharacteristic mistakes. In the end though, New Mexico just has too much talent. I'll take New Mexico by 6 or 7 points, but this game is certainly worth watching.