New Mexico Lobos vs. San Jose State Spartans: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/17/2023

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Provident Credit Union Event Center, San Jose, CA

Where to watch: CBS Sports Network

DraftKings: San Jose State -1.5

FanDuel: San Jose State -0.5

BetMGM: San Jose State -1.5

Caesars: San Jose State -1.5

New Mexico: 19-7 (6-7 Mountain West)

San Jose State: 16-10 (7-6 Mountain West)

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New Mexico: lost 70-56 vs. Wyoming

San Jose State: won 75-66 at UNLV

As you might be able to tell with my willingness to write about these Mountain West Conference games this year, I am a big fan of the conference. And none of it really has anything to do with me being a alumni of UNLV and wanting to keep up with what this stupid basketball team does on a weekly basis anymore. But I am overall entertained at what the conference brings on a week to week basis.

 

And I say that to tell you that I look at what in the world is going on with the New Mexico lobos right now and I have absolutely no idea what to think of this program. Once Upon a time this program was 19-3. They were one of the best teams in the conference. They were expected to handle business and stay afloat with the likes of San Diego State, Boise State, and Nevada. This was the team that at the beginning of the season you looked at their star power and thought that they could absolutely win this conference just based on name value alone. When you have the son of Jamal mashburn lighting you up, it tends to work that way.

 

But as New Mexico now gets ready to take on the San Jose State Spartans on Friday, we find ourselves at an impasse where New Mexico is falling hard and falling fast. So much so that New Mexico is actually getting 1.5 points in this game against a team that is not better than them. But New Mexico because of these losses to Wyoming by 14 points, at Air Force by 12, versus Reno by one, and losing to Utah State by 11, New Mexico is on a ridiculous downward spiral the likes of which we have not seen from a team that is supposed to be this talented in a long time.

 

Mashburn is doing everything he can to will this team to victory. He's averaging close to 20 points per game on 45% shooting and is making 81% of his free throws. Every game should be going through him and to the extent, it has. You even look at these last few games and you see that it's insane what he's been able to do. He had 32 points against Air Force and his team still lost by 12. He had 21 points and six assists against Reno and they lost by one. He had 33 points at Reno two games prior to that and they lost by three period there is no consistency and no other star value going on in New Mexico at this current point in time.

 

Meanwhile, San Jose State has been on a run that has put themselves right in the thick of things in the Mountain West Conference. After winning 75-66 at UNLV on Valentine's Day, the Spartans have won three out of their last four including wins against Wyoming which now looks good after beating New Mexico, and beating Utah State by five. San Jose State is not going to be on the same level as San Diego State, Boise State, Reno, or Utah State. But it absolutely could scare some teams later on down the line especially the 20-win teams.

 

If New Mexico loses this game I have no idea where to even go from here with them. This is a team that should not be losing like this and it's a team that should not be losing five in a row. I will give them the benefit of the doubt in a close game against a very game San Jose team. New Mexico 79, San Jose State 74

New Mexico is 2-8 ATS after 2 straight conference games this season.

San Jose State is 9-2 ATS as a favorite the last 3 seasons.

San Jose State is 9-2 ATS revenging a loss this season.

PG: Jaelen House

SG: Jamal Mashburn Jr.

SF: Javonte Johnson

PF: Josiah Allick

C: Morris Udeze

PG: Alvaro Cardenas Torre

SG: Omari Moor

SF: Trey Anderson

PF: Sage Tolbert III

C: Tibet Gorener