"We're not the same team without him in there," coach Ritchie McKay told the Albuquerque Tribune. "We lose a great defender. It will put more pressure on our defense as a team. Offensively, we don't have a 19-point scorer out there, a guy capable of getting 30 points."

The Lobos have the best overall record in the conference at 14-2.

Granger leads his team in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, 3-point percentage and steals. He could return to action when New Mexico visits the Beehive State to face Utah (Jan. 22) and BYU (Jan. 24).

WALTON UPDATE: Chris Walton, the youngest of Bill Walton's four sons, hit the game-winning shot as time expired against BYU last Saturday. It was only the fifth game he had played all season long due to a strain in the groin/hip area.

After the game in Provo, Walton traveled to Philadelphia, where he met with a renowned abdominal specialist at Drexel University, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The doctor checked the senior forward and cleared him to continue playing this season.

Meanwhile, Aztec guard John Sharper will also be able to play despite injuring his ankle during the postgame celebration at the Marriott Center.

BOATNER TRANSFERS: Colorado State's starting point guard, Dwight Boatner, left the program this week to transfer to McNeese State. He cited a desire to be closer to his family in Lake Charles, La.

Boatner scored 14 points and had one assist in the Rams' conference-opening defeat at Air Force.

"It has nothing to do with the coaches," Boatner told the Denver Post. "I'm not mad at them. I have no grudges. We weren't on the same page in a lot of situations."

Boatner was averaging 8.1 points this season.

In Boatner's absence, CSU coach Dale Layer will look to shooting guards Michael Morris and Andrew Patterson, as well as freshman Sean Morris, to step in as the Rams' new point guard. CSU hosts BYU on Saturday.

NOTES: Air Force has won 20 consecutive home games, the fourth-longest active home winning streak in the country . . . Utah's Andrew Bogut has recorded 11 double-doubles this season, which is tops in the nation . . . Wyoming's Alex Dunn has had double-doubles in three of his last four games.

---

E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com