LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — A spot in the Mountain West Conference tournament championship will be on the line Friday when seed New Mexico faces seed San Diego State in a semifinal at T-Mobile Arena. The Lobos (23-9) and Aztecs (21-10) split their regular-season series, each winning on their home floor. New Mexico won the most recent meeting 81-76 on Feb. 28 in Albuquerque, powered by a 24-point performance from forward Tomislav Buljan. Buljan enters Friday’s contest as New Mexico’s hottest player. He scored 25 points in just 30 minutes during Thursday’s 93-77 quarterfinal rout of San Jose State. Over his last five games, the junior is averaging 16.2 points. San Diego State advanced with a grinding 71-62 victory over Colorado State on Thursday. While the Aztecs’ offense struggled at times, reserve forward Pharaoh Compton provided a key spark off the bench, scoring 11 points. Compton has scored in double figures in three of his last six appearances, offering a reliable interior presence. The neutral-site setting in Las Vegas adds a new layer to this rivalry. Both teams have shown inconsistency down the stretch. The Lobos had lost three of four before Thursday’s win, while the Aztecs had dropped four of six prior to their quarterfinal triumph. History favors San Diego State in tournament play, but New Mexico’s high-powered offense, which has scored 90 or more points three times in the last month, presents a significant challenge. The Lobos will look to control the tempo, while the Aztecs will rely on their trademark defensive pressure and physicality. The winner will advance to Saturday’s championship game against either top-seeded Utah State or seed Boise State. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 9 p.m. EDT Friday.