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Report: New Mexico missing key front court piece until likely December

Craig Neal

Craig Neal

Charlie Riedel

New Mexico looks like they’ll be without a key front court piece until a few weeks into the season. According to a report from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, New Mexico head coach Craig Neal said that junior college transfer Jordan Goodman is still recovering from offseason knee surgery and nagging ankle and quad injuries and will likely be out until December.

“I don’t see him playing before December 1st,” Neal said to Rothstein. “I’m not going to play him until he gets five straight days of practice in. He’s a talented kid. He’s a legit 6-10 now and he’s up to 230 pounds. He was 213 when he got here.”

Goodman, who averaged 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds last year at Harcum College, was one of the top junior college recruits in the country and was expected to start and contribute right away after the Lobos lost Cameron Bairstow and Alex Kirk to the NBA.

Now, the Lobos will have to rely more on 6-foot-10 junior college center J.J. N’Ganga and 6-foot-9 freshmen Tohi Smith-Milner and Joe Furstinger. Goodman’s experience could have helped an experienced backcourt that returns Hugh Greenwood, Cullen Neal and Deshawn Delaney.

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