New Mexico Is Not What SDSU Needs

Just when the San Diego State basketball team needs an easy touch to snap out of its first 3-game losing streak of the season, the schedule offers New Mexico, winner of 7 of the past 8 games.

The Lobos (9-5) enter today’s 2 p.m. game at the San Diego Sports Arena after an 81-63 victory Thursday night at Hawaii and are tied with Colorado State and Texas El Paso for first place in the Western Athletic Conference at 4-1.

It is a much-improved team from the one that lost at home to University of San Diego, 64-53, on Nov. 27. That team was still adjusting to a new coach, Dave Bliss (formerly of Southern Methodist) and his new ways. But since losing 4 of their first 6, the Lobos have lost only once in the past 6 weeks--64-62 at Colorado State Jan. 12.

“They’re coming on; they have really gained some momentum,” SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg said. “They’re steamrolling right now.”

That is just the opposite of what has happened to the Aztecs lately. Since starting the WAC season with home victories over Colorado State and Air Force, SDSU (8-7, 2-3) has gone into a midseason slump, mostly because of shooting difficulties.

After shooting 53.4% in their first 11 games, the Aztecs have shot 40.9% in the past four. Their overall shooting percentage has fallen below 50%--to 49.9%--for the first time.

“We’ve gone from what we considered a good-to-decent shooting basketball team and a pretty good passing basketball team to pretty mediocre,” Brandenburg said. “We were doing a better job of distinguishing shots early on.

“What is really important is to get the ball in everyone’s hands and do it frequently. We have to get back to the point where we are getting good ball movement.”

Brandenburg cited the Aztecs’ season-low five turnovers in a 80-61 loss at Utah last Saturday as symbolic of the team’s problems.

“That might have been a career all-time low for turnovers, and that is because we didn’t do anything with the ball,” Brandenburg said. “Show me somebody who doesn’t turn the ball over, and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t do anything with the basketball.”

The Aztecs also have been hurt by the recent difficulties of center Mitch McMullen. Although he still leads the team in scoring (15.5 points per game) and rebounding (8.5), his production of the past four games has mirrored the Aztecs’ troubles--he has averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in that span.

Brandenburg said McMullen’s play has been affected by a sore Achilles tendon and a cold that slowed him on last week’s trip. But there will be no relief for McMullen this afternoon--the Lobos feature two 7-footers, 7-2 sophomore Luc Longley and 7-0 Rob Loeffel.

Longley has been slowed by tendinitis in his right foot and likely will see limited action. But while an injury to McMullen would leave the Aztecs without an experienced replacement, the Lobos can turn to Loeffel, a 3-year starter who lost his job to Longley early in the season.

New Mexico features a balanced lineup that also includes senior power forward Charlie Thomas (18.9 points and 8.9 rebounds), shooting guard Rob Robbins (16.2 points) and point guard Darrell McGee (8.6 assists).

Brandenburg calls the Lobos even better than UTEP, which defeated the Aztecs, 76-65, Thursday night.

“Their inside game is good,” Brandenburg said. “Their perimeter shooting is good. The balance between both seems to be right on. They have got their full-court fast break going. And they press well in the three-quarter court. It seems to me like they might be as versatile as I have ever seen them.”

As for what that means for his Aztecs and their hopes of breaking out of this slide, Brandenburg could only look for a change for the better.

“You just persevere until you turn it around,” he said.