One of the major statistics one could look at as to why the UNM Lobos have jumped from a bottom-of-the-standings, 13-win team a season ago to a 19-win (and counting) team this season that finds itself still in Mountain West title and NCAA Tournament conversations has been a rather drastic jump on defense.
While that side of the ball is still behind — some nights rather significantly so — the Lobos’ offense, there’s no denying that finishing the 2021-22 season ranked 243rd in defensive efficiency and currently sitting at 70th (out of 363 Division I teams) in defensive efficiency has been a big part of that jump.