Mountain West Showdown: Lobos vs Rams Battle for Glory

The stakes are high as the New Mexico Lobos and the Colorado State Rams prepare to clash on the hardwood in a gripping Mountain West Conference tournament showdown. With both teams sporting identical 22-9 records, this matchup is poised to be an absolute barnburner as they fight to keep their postseason dreams alive.

The Lobos are riding a wave of momentum, having won three of their last four games including an impressive 76-66 victory over the Boise State Broncos in the previous round. Star guard Jaelen House has been on an absolute tear, topping his previous scoring output in each of the last five contests. He’ll be looking to continue that scorching streak alongside sharpshooting teammate Donovan Dent.

However, the Rams won’t go down without a fight. They’re coming off an 85-78 win over the Nevada Wolf Pack, led by Nique Clifford’s monster double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Lake also got in on the act, pouring in 16 points to help propel Colorado State to victory. With a balanced offensive attack, the Rams have the firepower to give the Lobos all they can handle.

New Mexico edged out a narrow 68-66 win when these teams met back in February, but Colorado State has had the overall upper hand historically, winning 7 of the last 10 meetings between the programs. However, the Lobos will be buoyed by the fact that they’ve covered the spread in their last three outings.

The experts are siding with New Mexico as slight 2.5 point favorites, but as this heated rivalry has shown time and again, anything can happen when these squads take the floor. With an over/under of 150 points, fans should brace themselves for an offensive shootout in Las Vegas.

As the clock ticks down to tip-off at the raucous Thomas & Mack Center, one thing is certain - this is must-see March basketball at its finest. Two talented and evenly-matched teams, one coveted spot in the next round. When the final buzzer sounds, only one program will have its One Shining Moment and advance in the unforgiving Mountain West gauntlet.