Rapid Reaction - Nick Nunez

Tulsa defeats New Mexico 74-69 in the NIT to advance to the NIT Finals.

Gamer:

“If you live by the three, you die by the three” proved only half true for UNM men’s basketball on Thursday night—because while Tulsa’s outside shooting set the tone, it was UNM’s missed chances and late-game lapses that ultimately sealed a 74–69 NIT semifinal loss and ended the Lobos’ season.

Tulsa’s hot 3-point shooting was not the killer blow, but it was the first punch that gave the Golden Hurricane a seven-point advantage at the half 36-29.

Before the team left for Indianapolis, UNM men’s basketball coach Eric Olen was asked if his team would revert to their same defensive philosophy of “protect the paint” against a high volume nad efficient 3-point shooting team like Tulsa that shot 38% from three coming into this game. .

Olen’s response:

“That’s always a pillar of what we’re trying to do,” Olen said. “How we rotate, the urgency we rotate, our ability to contest (shots), can we win in rotation? I think those are going to be the questions we got to answer on Thursday.”