Ute, Lobo game lacks flair

ALBUQUERQUE — Remember when a Utah-New Mexico game at The Pit was a big deal?

Whether it was one of the many Keith Van Horn-Kenny Thomas battles in the mid-'90s or the famous '98 game when Royce Olney got away with a mugging of future NBA star Andre Miller or coach Ritchie McKay doing a disco routine during Utah's only conference loss two years ago, the Ute-Lobo series has seen its share of important, memorable games.

Tonight's game is a different story. Not only is the game not being televised — the only one of Utah's Mountain West Conference games that isn't — it features two teams battling to stay out of the league's basement.

Both the Utes and Lobos have struggled to 0-3 records so far in MWC play. For the Utes, it's their worst conference start since 1953.

For the Lobos, it's their worst start since 1980 when they had four straight losses in league play.

The Lobos are coming off an agonizing 65-57 loss at 18th-ranked Air Force Tuesday night. In that game, the Lobos led by as many as 21 points in the first half only to get outscored 28-1 during one stretch.

New Mexico shot 16 for 23 in the first half but managed just 7 of 22 in the second half.

"As they shoot the three, is how the team goes," said Ute coach Ray Giacoletti. "When they're shooting it, they can run someone out of the gym. They live by the three and die by the three."

That's not good news for the Utes whose opponents have lit up the nets from 3-point range all season, to the tune of 47.4 percent.

No one knows better than Giacoletti, who said, "We don't guard the three real well."

New Mexico, which has used nine different starting lineups this year, is expected to start Tony Danridge (55 percent FG) and Daniel Faris inside and Jamaal Smith, Darren Prentice and Chad Toppert (49.5 3-point FG) outside.

The Lobos' leading scorer, Kansas transfer J.R. Giddens (17.7 ppg), has missed the past two games with an injured left foot and is listed as questionable for tonight.

The Utes have used six different starting lineups but will use a new one tonight with Ricky Johns and Luka Drca joining Johnny Bryant on the guardline with Shaun Green and Luke Nevill inside.

"We're just trying to find consistent play on the perimeter," said Giacoletti. "We shoot ourselves in the foot when we turn it over and can't handle the basketball."

The two Utes replaced in the starting lineup, Stephen Weigh and Lawrence Borha, led the team in turnovers during MWC play with 12 and seven, respectively.

After tonight, the Utes come back for a pair of home games Tuesday night against Air Force and Saturday night against Wyoming.

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