Photo courtesy of Couch Potato Sports Daniel Ivan Zuniga
Lobos Stay Perfect at The Pit, Pull Away from Wyoming for 78–58 Win
Mountain West Connection — Game Wrap-Up
Roger A Holien
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Lobos maintained their dominance at The Pit on Saturday night, securing a commanding 78–58 victory over Wyoming behind a dominant second-half performance, a career-best showing from freshman Tomislav Buljan, and another electrifying home crowd.
Behind a season-high 17 offensive rebounds and
16 second-chance points, New Mexico wore down Wyoming’s defense and pulled away for a 78–58 victory.
Tomislav Buljan led with 25 points and 12 rebounds as the Lobos dominated the Cowboys in front of 13,763 at The Pit.
He was also very efficient, shooting 11-for-13 from the field—ranking third for the highest field-goal percentage by a Lobo in a Mountain West game with at least 10 made shots, and the best by a freshman in conference play. (courtesy of UNM Athletics)
Tomislav Buljan’s performance put him among a rare group, as he became only the third freshman in program history to score 25 points and grab 10 rebounds in a game, joining former Lobos Kenny Thomas and JT Toppin (Courtesy of UNM Athletics)
With the win, New Mexico improved to 11–3 overall and 2–1 in Mountain West play, remaining unbeaten at home this season and extending its home winning streak to 20 games — one of the longest active streaks in the country. Wyoming dropped to 10–4 overall and 1–2 in conference play.
“It was a good performance tonight. I thought we found our rhythm after the second media timeout and played well defensively from that point on.
It was nice to see the ball go in the basket. We were able to force some more turnovers in the second half, and I thought that was key to creating the separation.” – Eric Olen
Back-and-Forth Early, Lobos Finish Strong
Both teams came out sharp offensively, trading baskets early as the game was tied 9–9 four minutes in.
Wyoming briefly seized momentum midway through the first half, using a pair of scoring runs to build a seven-point advantage and quiet the crowd.
New Mexico responded with poise.
Sparked by Buljan’s interior presence and defensive stops, the Lobos finished the half on a strong run, taking the lead late and going into the locker room up 34–31.
Buljan led early with 13 points and five rebounds, setting the tone for what would be a dominant night.
Second-Half Surge Breaks It Open
The game turned decisively in the opening minutes of the second half.
Jake Hall buried back-to-back three-pointers to increase the lead to nine and force a Wyoming timeout, igniting The Pit.
From there, New Mexico increased its defensive effort, disrupted Wyoming’s offensive rhythm, and gradually pulled ahead.
An 8–0 run widened the lead to double digits, and every Cowboy effort was answered. By the midway point of the half, the Lobos were clearly in control, turning stops into points and demonstrating balanced offensive execution.
A late 10–0 burst sealed the outcome, as New Mexico closed the night with authority and a 20-point victory in front of a season-high crowd of 13,763.
Buljan Shines & Lobo Bench Provides Lift
Buljan delivered his best performance of the season, finishing with a career-high 25 points on an ultra-efficient 11-of-13 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the year.
His efficiency and physicality inside anchored New Mexico on both ends of the floor.
Uriah Tenette provided a key spark off the bench with 14 points, while Luke Haupt added 10.
Deyton Albury matched his season high with seven assists, helping the Lobos record 15 assists — a season-high allowed by Wyoming, which entered the game leading the nation in lowest assist percentage.
A Statement Win at The Pit
The 20-game home winning streak is now the fifth-longest in program history and the longest since the mid-2000s, reaffirming The Pit’s reputation as one of the toughest venues in college basketball.
As conference play heats up, New Mexico keeps gaining momentum with strong home-court advantage, tough defense, and promising young players.
Wyoming heads back to Laramie searching for consistency, while the Lobos move forward firmly positioned as a contender in the Mountain West race.
The Lobos head to Colorado next week for a two-game road trip, facing Colorado State on Tuesday at 7 p.m., before finishing the trip Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Air Force. Both games will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.
