Mountain West Rankings: New Mexico gets road win at Logan

Air Force’s Wesley Celichowski (51) attempts to block Brandon Love’s jump shot in the first half of Tuesday’s Salute to Service night at the Lawlor Events Center. Nevada defeated the Falcons, 68-62.

Air Force’s Wesley Celichowski (51) attempts to block Brandon Love’s jump shot in the first half of Tuesday’s Salute to Service night at the Lawlor Events Center. Nevada defeated the Falcons, 68-62.

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The New Mexico Lobos went to Logan, Utah last Saturday and left the Utah State Aggies battered, broken and beaten.

“I think we need to let this one sting for a little bit,” Utah State guard Drake Allen told yahoo.com after an 82-63 loss to the Lobos in front of a home crowd of 10,270. “When you lose games like that, it hurts real bad and I think all of the guys are feeling it.”

Utah State (19-3, 9-2) led 36-30 at halftime but were steamrolled by the Lobos, 52-27, after the break. New Mexico, which leapfrogged over Utah State into the No. 1 spot in this week's Nevada Appeal Mountain West rankings, went 6-of-13 on threes in the second half after missing eight-of-nine in the first half.

“The second half was just phenomenal all around,” New Mexico (18-4, 10-1) coach Richard Pitino told golobos.com. “Just a phenomenal win. This is a very difficult place to play and our guys were so business-like in their approach.”

Utah State still led 48-39 after a dunk by Allen with 15:24 to play. New Mexico, though, pounded the Aggies, 43-15, over the final 15 minutes. Utah State was just 5-of-31 on threes for the game (1-of-13 in the second half). Guard Ian Martinez, one of the top shooters in the conference, was 0-for-7 beyond the arc.

“We had a lot of wide-open looks but we had, by far, our worst shooting performance of the year,” Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun said. “We let our offense dictate how we competed.”

No. 3 San Diego State (15-5, 8-3) had to grind out a couple wins over two bottom-tier Mountain West teams, 71-68 over San Jose State and 63-61 over Wyoming.

“If patience is a virtue then I am the most virtuous man in the country,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher told goaztecs.com.

Wyoming led the Aztecs 50-42 with just 6:19 to play after a 3-pointer by Dontaie Allen. San Diego State, though, promptly went on a 19-0 run to take a 61-50 lead with 15 seconds left.

The final 16 seconds, though, tested Dutcher's patience as the Cowboys went on an improbable 11-2 run over the final 10 seconds. A technical on San Diego State's Nick Boyd helped Wyoming go 8-for-8 from the line in a mere two seconds to slice the deficit to 61-57 with eight seconds left.

“Nick got a technical and they warned him,” Dutcher said. “They (the officials) then came back to our bench and I don't know what happened. He must have said something. I told him he's not the first to do that and he won't be the last. But it just can't happen.”

The Aztecs needed an 18-0 run midway through the second half to beat San Jose State earlier in the week. San Jose State led 41-29 at halftime and 62-50 with 9:18 left before the Aztecs took over.

San Jose State went scoreless for seven minutes during the Aztecs' run.

No. 4 Colorado State (14-7, 8-2) whipped Air Force, 71-58, last Tuesday in its only game last week. Nique Clifford had 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for Colorado State.

Ethan Taylor had 22 points for No. 11 Air Force, which is still searching for its first victory in conference play (3-19, 0-11).

“We are competing our tails off,” Air Force coach Joe Scott told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “But our ability to do it for the whole game is another learning thing.”

“We are just starting to see the potential of our team,” Clifford said. “We just have to continue to have a chip on our shoulder and prove everyone wrong.”

No. 5 Boise State (15-7, 7-4) beat Nevada (66-56) and Fresno State (82-60) last week at home. Andrew Meadow had 20 points against Fresno State.

“It was a great approach by our guys,” Boise State coach Leon Rice told broncosports.com after the win over Fresno State. “That (Boise State) looked like a team that was excited to play.”

Boise State's two wins last week at home came after three losses on the road in four games.

“I've seen an improvement in our defense,” Rice said. “It feels we're a little harder to score on. We're covering each other's backs a little better.”

No. 6 Nevada (12-10, 4-7) lost to Boise (66-56) on the road and snapped a three-game losing streak by outlasting No. 7 UNLV, 71-65, at Lawlor Events Center.

The Wolf Pack led for much of the game but found itself in a 65-65 tie with 77 seconds to play. A jumper by Xavier DuSell and four free throws by Tyler Rolison in the final 47 seconds finally put the Rebels away.

The Wolf Pack will be at Air Force on Tuesday and will host Fresno State on Feb. 10. UNLV (11-11, 5-6) has now lost four games in a row by 15 points combined.

“We are going to focus on the positive,” Rebel coach Kevin Kruger told unlvrebels.com. “This is going to turn for us for the better.”

The key games in the Mountain West this week are Boise State at UNLV on Tuesday, Colorado State at New Mexico on Wednesday and San Diego State at Colorado State on Saturday with a month still remaining in the regular season.

The Nevada Appeal Mountain West men's basketball rankings for the week of Feb. 3:

1. NEW MEXICO (18-4, 10-1). Last week: New Mexico 82, Utah State 63 (Feb. 1). This week: Colorado State at New Mexico (Feb. 5); New Mexico at Air Force (Feb. 8).

2. UTAH STATE (19-3, 9-2): Last week: Utah State 76, UNLV 71 (Jan. 29); New Mexico 82, Utah State 63 (Feb. 1). This week: Utah State at Wyoming (Feb. 4); Utah State at Fresno State (Feb. 7).

3. SAN DIEGO STATE (15-5, 8-3). Last week: San Diego State 71, San Jose State 68 (Jan. 28); San Diego State 63, Wyoming 61 (Feb. 1). This week: San Diego State at Colorado State (Feb. 8).

4. COLORADO STATE (14-7, 8-2). Last week: Colorado State 71, Air Force 58 (Feb. 28). This week: Colorado State at New Mexico (Feb. 5); San Diego State at Colorado State (Feb. 8).

5. BOISE STATE (15-7, 7-4): Last week: Boise State 66, Nevada 56 (Jan. 29); Boise State 82, Fresno State 60 (Feb. 1). This week: Boise State at UNLV (Feb. 4); San Jose State at Boise State (Feb. 7).

6. NEVADA (12-10, 4-7). Last week: Boise State 66, Nevada 56 (Jan. 29); Nevada 71, UNLV 65 (Feb. 1). This week: Nevada at Air Force (Feb. 4); Fresno State at Nevada (Feb. 10).

7. UNLV (11-11, 5-6). Last week: Utah State 76, UNLV 71 (Jan. 29); Nevada 71, UNLV 65 (Feb. 1). This week: Boise State at UNLV (Feb. 4); UNLV at Wyoming (Feb. 8).

8. SAN JOSE STATE (11-12, 4-7). Last week: San Diego State 71, San Jose State 68 (Jan. 28); San Jose State 75, Air Force 64 (Feb. 1). This week: San Jose State at Fresno State (Feb. 4); San Jose State at Boise State (Feb. 7).

9. WYOMING (11-11, 4-7). Last week: Wyoming 83, Fresno State 72, OT (Jan. 28); San Diego State 63, Wyoming 61 (Feb. 1). This week: Utah State at Wyoming (Feb. 4); UNLV at Wyoming (Feb. 8).

10. FRESNO STATE (5-17, 1-10). Last week: Wyoming 83, Fresno State 72, OT (Jan. 28); Boise State 82, Fresno State 60 (Feb. 1). This week: San Jose State at Fresno State (Feb. 4); Utah State at Fresno State (Feb. 7); Fresno State at Nevada (Feb. 10).

11. AIR FORCE (3-19, 0-11): Last week: Colorado State 71, Air Force 58 (Jan. 28); San Jose State 75, Air Force 64 (Feb. 1). This week: Nevada at Air Force (Feb. 4); New Mexico at Air Force (Feb. 8).