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Kuiper scores 24, Lobos battle but fall to #23 Arizona

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team battled No. 23 Arizona to an 89-73 loss at Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit on Saturday night in front of an enthusiastic, season-high crowd of 13,207. The Lobos rallied back from a 19-point deficit to trail by just seven with 3:56 remaining, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Wildcats, who shot 64.0 percent from the field.

“I thought the game was played and moving at the pace we wanted,” head coach Paul Weir said. “There’s another part of our energy level, defensively, that wasn’t good enough. It has to get better.

“You do have to give Arizona some credit. They shot the heck out of the basketball tonight. I know those guys are skilled enough to shoot threes and they are special. They really showed how good of a team they are, made a lot of big shots – that is a good basketball team.”

The Lobos (3-8) were unable to complete the comeback against the ranked Wildcats despite junior Dane Kuiper’s career-best 24-point performance. Kuiper, who was celebrating his birthday, shot 70 percent (7-10) from the field and 75 percent (6-8) from behind the three-point arc, adding a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. Troy Simons added 12 points on 40 percent (4-10) shooting. Senior Sam Logwood posted eight points in his first game back with the team after his brief leave of absence.

The Lobos shot 38.7 percent as a team, including 35.3 percent from behind the arc and 92.9 percent from the free throw line, but Arizona outscored New Mexico 42-20 in the paint and outrebounded the Lobos 35-23. UNM held the Wildcats to six offensive rebounds and seven second-chance points. In the second half, UNM matched Arizona, both notching 40 points.

After trailing by 15, 72-57, with 9:28 to go in the second half, the Lobos cut the Wildcat lead to eight at 74-66 on baskets from Simons, Logwood and Kuiper. It marked the first time since the 11:57 mark of the first half that the Lobos trailed by less than ten. Kuiper managed to cut the lead to seven twice, first on a three with 5:05 to go and then on a pair of free throws with 3:56 remaining, but the Lobos were unable to close the margin any further.

Arizona (8-3) widened the lead back to double digits and then continued with a commanding 12-point advantage with 1:05 to go, finishing the game on a 7-0 run en route to the 89-73 final.

The Lobos trailed 11-5 three minutes into the game but went on a 5-0 run behind a layup and a 3-point play from Simons to bring the game within one, 11-10. Arizona answered with an 11-3 run over the next two minutes to stretch its lead back to nine, 22-13, but freshman Makuach Maluach hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to six, 22-16.

After another 9-0 streak by the Wildcats, Kuiper added a layup and 3-pointer to keep the Lobos within ten, 31-21.

The Wildcats took their largest lead of the first half on four Allonzo Trier free throws with 18 seconds left as they made the score 49-31. Senior Antino Jackson hit a jumper as time expired to enter halftime trailing by 16, 49-33.

“We just couldn’t get a break to go our way,” Weir said. “When you’re down 16 points, it’s just hard to spot somebody that much.”

The Lobos shot 41.4 percent from the field in the first half, including 35.7 percent from three. They added another four points from the free throw line, going a perfect 4-for-4 in the half.

UNM and Arizona opened the second half trading 3-point plays to make the score 52-36. Junior Chris McNeal hit his first three of the night off an offensive rebound to cut Arizona’s lead to 13, 54-41, with 16:25 on the clock.

Junior Anthony Mathis, who is shooting 48.3 from behind the arc this season, drilled back-to-back threes with 12 minutes to go to make the score 66-54 and prevent Arizona from pulling away, setting up the UNM comeback attempt.

The game marked the first time since Jan. 16, 1999 that Arizona traveled to play in Albuquerque, when the Lobos beat the Wildcats 79-78. When the two teams met last year in Tucson, then-ranked No. 18 Arizona topped New Mexico 77-46. Saturday’s contest also marks UNM’s first ranked opponent of the season.

New Mexico will stay at home to face Rice in Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit, continuing the Lobos’ five-game home stand, on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m.