It’s been almost three months since we wrote about Richard Pitino’s New Mexico Lobos getting Final Four hype. That was before the college hoops season began and the preseason puffery appears to be ringing true as Pitino’s squad is 18-3 overall and surged six spots to No. 19 in the Jan. 29 AP Top 25 poll.
New Mexico bludgeoned Nevada 89-55 on Sunday night, with Pitino’s team being led by the former Gophers guard Jamal Mashburn Jr., who followed him southwest and has become a star for the Lobos.
Mashburn Jr., the son of former NBA star Jamal Mashburn, is tied with Jaelen House for the team lead at 15.6 points per game. They’re two of six players averaging at least 9.0 points per game this season.
The Lobos are deep, have three really good guards and they are very good on both ends of the floor. Their adjusted offensive rating ranks 37th in the nation and their adjusted defensive rating is 20th. They’re 19th in the KenPom rankings, which are a really strong measuring stick for seeding teams in the NCAA Tournament.