Lobos Fall in Heartbreaker to Aztecs in Mountain West Tournament Semifinal

UNM's NCAA hopes dim after loss to Aztecs in Las Vegas

Mar. 14, 2026 at 7:38am

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In the eighth and final time the UNM and San Diego State men's basketball teams will meet in the Mountain West Tournament, a desperation Jake Hall 3-pointer at the buzzer came up short, sealing for the second-seeded Aztecs a nail-biting 64-62 semifinal win over the No. 3 Lobos on Friday night in the Thomas & Mack Center. The loss drops UNM to 23-10 on the season and essentially ends their hopes of playing in the NCAA Tournament, though they do plan to play in the NIT.

Why it matters

The Lobos' loss to the Aztecs in the Mountain West Tournament semifinal is a significant setback for their NCAA Tournament hopes, as they now look to the NIT instead. This matchup marked the eighth and final time these two teams will meet in the conference tournament, with the winner historically going on to win the Mountain West title.

The details

The Aztecs (22-10) got a B.J. Davis driving bucket in traffic with 2.1 seconds left to put them up 64-62. Haupt inbounded the ball, but Buljan mishandled the pass at half court. The Aztecs' Magoon Gwath grabbed the loose ball but stepped out of bounds with 0.6 seconds left, giving the Lobos a chance to inbound from in front of their own bench. Hall fought through defenders, caught the ball but missed a quick 3-point shot. The Lobos shot just 15-of-28 from the free throw line (9-of-17 in the second half), leaving far more points than needed to win at the line.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 14, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The players

Tomislav Buljan

A UNM player who had 8 points and 10 rebounds but struggled at the free throw line, going 2-of-7.

B.J. Davis

A San Diego State player who scored the game-winning bucket with 2.1 seconds left, finishing with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Magoon Gwath

A San Diego State player who had a team-high 17 points and 6 rebounds.

Deyton Albury

A UNM player who led the Lobos with 20 points.

Jake Hall

A UNM player who took the final desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer that came up short, finishing with just 3 points on 1-of-10 shooting.

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What’s next

The Lobos' season will continue in the NIT, as their NCAA Tournament hopes have essentially been dashed with the loss to San Diego State.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Lobos' struggles at the free throw line, where they left crucial points on the board, ultimately leading to their heartbreaking defeat. The loss also marks the end of the UNM-San Diego State rivalry in the Mountain West Tournament, as the Aztecs depart the conference after this season.