For scuffling Lobos, one open path to NCAAs remains

Wyoming’s Hunter Maldonado, left, scores around the outstretched Lobo Morris Udeze during the Cowboys’ 70-56 win over UNM on Feb. 14. The two teams have a rematch Wednesday in the Mountain West men’s basketball tournament first round. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)Morris Udeze knows the answer is rather obvious.

What’s the biggest difference from that New Mexico Lobos team that started the season 14-0 – the last Division I program standing without a loss – and the one that now limps into the Mountain West tournament on Wednesday as a No. 6 seed, losers of eight of their last 11 games?

“Obviously I’ll say defense, but everybody knows it’s defense,” Udeze said Monday. The question was directed…