When the Air Force Falcons last saw the New Mexico Lobos, Jeff Reynolds was still the head coach at the Academy. A loss to the Lobos and then to the Colorado St. Rams sent Reynolds packing. Interim head coach Dave Pilipovich has gone 2-3 since his first game on Feb. 11. A win against the Lobos on Wednesday night will surely go a long way in helping him become the permanent head coach.
The Lobos, meanwhile, picked up its third straight win when they beat the Falcons on Jan. 31. That win streak extended to seven games before Colorado State and the TCU Horned Frogs defeated them in the last two games. The Lobos are in a three-way tie for first place in the Mountain West and want to stay atop the standings by snapping this losing streak.
In the previous game, the Lobos dominated the Falcons, 81-42. New Mexico shot nearly 60 percent while the Falcons a bit under 30 percent. The Falcons lost the rebounding battle, 37-20, and that had much to do with hitting on just five of 28 three-point shots.
At 3-9, the Falcons are tied with the Boise St. Broncos for last place in the Mountain West. This could be a preview of the Falcons' opening round game in the 2012 Mountain West Tournament.
Game time/date: 6:00 p.m. MT, Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012
Location: The Pit, Albuquerque, NM
TV: The Mtn.
For more on these teams, head over to the Mountain West Connection. Check out SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes as we approach March Madness.