New Mexico became the latest — and last — undefeated team in men’s college basketball to take a loss on Tuesday as it fell on the road at Fresno State 71-67. The Lobos were the only undefeated team left standing in the sport after previously-unbeaten UConn fell on Saturday and previously-unbeaten Purdue stumbled on Tuesday.
New Mexico led with just under two minutes to play before Fresno closed on a 5-0 lead to end the game with Isaih Moore putting in a layup with about 90 seconds remaining and Isaiah Hill tacking on three free throws in the final 20 seconds of action.
“In 18 months we’ve taken a team that won six games to sell-outs, getting the state engaged again,” said New Mexico coach Richard Pitino postgame on his perspective about the state of the program. “After 15 games [in 2022] I think we’ve done a lot. Our fan base is rejuvenated. Our players are playing hard. We’re 14-1. I did not think we were going to go undefeated. I’m just proud of the run we had.”
If it seems early in the season for the last undefeated team to fall, you’re not imagining things. New Mexico’s loss on Jan. 3 marked the earliest the last undefeated team has taken its first loss of the season since the 2017-18 season, and the second-earliest that every team has lost at least one game spanning the last 45 seasons, per ESPN Stats and Information.
Only a day earlier, New Mexico had risen up to No. 21 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, its highest ranking of the season since the 2013-14 season when it climbed as high as No. 17.
