After Fernando Lovo’s Departure, UNM Men’s Basketball Seeks Late 2025 Lift at Boise State
From Left to Right: Sophomore forward Pearson Charmichael, Freshman guard AG Neto, and Senior forward Javan Buchannan wearing Boise State Christmas Sweaters on Dec. 10, 2025. Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics.
University of New Mexico athletics needs a win to close 2025.
After the football team’s loss in the Rate Bowl, and after confirming that athletic director Fernando Lovo is taking his talents to Colorado University, the UNM men’s basketball team has one more chance to send Lobo Nation out on a positive note to close the quarter century when it takes on Boise State (8-4) tonight in Extra Mile Arena.
It’s a 9 p.m. MST tipoff airing on FS1.
New Mexico has not won in Boise since January 17, 2017, dropping seven straight road games to the Broncos, its longest road losing streak.
Boise State enters the contest still searching for its first Mountain West win after an 81–66 loss at Nevada. That setback came after the Broncos pieced together one of the league’s strongest non-conference résumés, rebounding from a season-opening loss to Division II Hawaii Pacific with Quad 1 wins over Butler and St. Mary’s, plus a Quad 2 victory against Wichita State.
Boise State currently sits at No. 53 in KenPom and No. 47 in the NET.
Boise State’s starting lineup features four players listed at 6-foot-7 or taller, all of whom rebound well. Junior center Drew Fielder (6-11) leads the way inside at 5.2 rebounds per game, joined by senior Javann Buchanan (6-7) and redshirt senior RJ Keene (6-7) who also average over five rebounds per game. Reserves Dominic Parolin (6-9) and Pearson Carmichael (6-7) add more length off the bench and chip in a combined eight more rebounds per contest.
Boise State leads the Mountain West in defensive rebounding percentage and ranks No. 5 nationally, limiting opponents to one shot as well as anyone in college basketball. The Broncos also hold teams to 70 points per game—fourth best in the league—and rank No. 31 in KenPom’s defensive efficiency.
Boise State runs its offense through its bigs. Fielder, a Georgetown transfer, leads the team with 13.7 points per game and a Mountain West–high 30 percent usage rate, which means when he’s in the game, BSU tries to get him the ball to score.
Fielder does some damage on the block or near the rim, but he can also stretch the floor, shooting 33 percent from 3-point territory.
Buchanan, last season’s MW Sixth Man of the Year, adds 11.4 points per game and leads the team in free-throw attempts. He draws five fouls per game while also shoots 34% from the 3-point line.
Junior Andrew Meadow (6-7) returns as a starter from last season and contributes 12.2 points per game. Meadow is BSU’s 3-point marksman, shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc.
Carmichael remains a familiar threat for UNM fans after his second-half outburst last season in Boise when he made four 3-pointers against the Lobos in the second half.
This season, he’s averaging 9.1 points off the bench while shooting 39%from deep.
UCLA transfer Dylan Andrews is Boise’s biggest backcourt addition, averaging 10.5 points and a team-high 3.4 assists per game, though his shooting efficiency remains a concern. He’s below 35% from the field and 30% from deep.
Getting to the free-throw line is another Boise State strength. The Broncos rank No. 46 nationally in Ken Pom’s FTA/FGA metric, which measures free throws attempted per game. Fielder, Buchannan, and Andrews all draw around 5 fouls per game each.
UNM’s Injury Updates
UNM will be down starter Chris Howell and reserve Kevin Patton Jr. who is away from the team for personal reasons. Tomislav Buljan is questionable.
Keys to the Game: UNM at Boise State
1. Survive the Glass
This is the matchup concern that looms largest for UNM. Boise State is elite on the defensive glass and will have a clear size advantage over UNM, making rebounding essential – especially if Buljan is out.
2. Disrupt the Interior Hub
BSU’s offense flows through Fielder and Buchannan when they’re on the floor. UNM has been very good at protecting the paint and has not given much to interior scorers thus far. UNM’s defense must take away easy paint opportunities and force Boise State to rely on contested mid-range shots or 3-pointers late in the clock.
3. Close Out on Shooters
While Boise State is known for its defense, it has enough shooting to punish mistakes. Meadow and Carmichael can change the game quickly if left open, while Buchannan and Fielder both shoot right around 35%. UNM must balance helping inside without losing shooters on kick-outs.
4. Control Pace and Turn Defense into Offense.
Boise State is most comfortable in a slow, physical half-court game. UNM will have to generate energy on the defensive end to create turnovers and speed BSU up to avoid grinding possessions late into the shot clock.
