New Mexico’s Men’s Team Is Unbeaten, but Untested

The Associated Press ranking released Monday, before Purdue’s loss, put New Mexico only at No. 21. Some computer ratings put the team even lower: Jeff Sagarin has it at No. 52. ESPN’s Bracketology projects New Mexico as only a seventh seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament, ranking it between 25 and 28 nationally. Not very high praise for the one team that has not yet lost.

(Five women’s teams remain unbeaten in Division I: South Carolina, Ohio State, L.S.U., Utah and St. John’s.)

Richard Pitino, son of the famous coach Rick, took over New Mexico last season and finished 13-19. But the transfers Morris Udeze (Wichita State) and Josiah Allick (University of Missouri-Kansas City) and the returning Jamal Mashburn Jr., son of the N.B.A. player, and Jaelen House meant improvement was expected. As it turned out, the pieces fit, helped by the relatively weak schedule.

“I thought we would be improved, but probably not sitting here like this,” Pitino said this week.

(For those with shorter memories, Jamal Mashburn Sr. played for Rick Pitino at Kentucky.)

It will get tougher for New Mexico this season in conference play, when teams don’t get to pick their opponents. Tuesday night’s game is at Fresno State, which is 5-8. But New Mexico is only a 4-point favorite.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/sports/ncaabasketball/new-mexico-last-unbeaten.html