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sports1d ago
San Diego State loses at New Mexico, dealing blow to MW title and NCAA Tournament hopes
- San Diego State’s Mountain West title bid took a major blow with an 81-76 loss at New Mexico, ending hopes tied to a conference crown and NCAA at-large chances.
- Tomislav Buljan was a dominant force for New Mexico with 24 points and 18 rebounds, underscoring the Lobos’ interior impact in the win.
- Miles Byrd sparked a late SDSU resurgence, tying the game with 1:01 remaining and energizing the Aztecs’ push in the final minute.
- New Mexico answered late as Luke Haupt drilled a go-ahead 3 with 43 seconds left, sealing SDSU’s fate in a tight finish.
- Deyton Albury’s late free throws provided a 79-76 Lobos lead in the final minute, blocking SDSU’s attempt to reclaim momentum.
- New Mexico dominated the boards 42-36, flipping a rebounding edge that had favored SDSU earlier in the game.
- SDSU slipped into a tie for second in the Mountain West after the defeat, jeopardizing a top seed and league title chase.
- With an at-large NCAA bid already fragile, the loss likely ends SDSU’s chances without a deep MW tournament run in Las Vegas.
- Coach Brian Dutcher pinpointed inside defense and free-throw issues as the key factors in the loss, highlighting exposure around the basket and late misses.
- Dutcher credited Haupt’s late 3 as a defining moment, noting the game’s line between defeat and a potential comeback.
- Away from the court, the piece notes the broader context of SDSU’s season: high expectations, a unanimous preseason title pick, and now a path to keep NCAA hopes alive through the MW tournament.
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