Lobos Fall to NMSU in Last-Minute Heartbreaker
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — With 6:40 to go in one of the biggest and most intense rivalries in The University of New Mexico history, the Lobos led the New Mexico State Aggies by eight, 56-48, on Saturday night in Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit before dropping a heartbreaker by a final score of 65-62. The Lobos missed a tough, last-second three-pointer that would have tied the game.
The Lobos (3-7) outshot the Aggies (7-2) from 3-point range 28.6 percent to 20.0 percent and from the free throw line (70.6-50.0) in the outstanding defensive effort while scoring 14 points off of 17 NMSU turnovers.
UNM was led by senior Antino Jackson who compiled 14 points, his second-highest total of the season, including three from behind the arc. Junior Troy Simons posted 13 points and a team-best seven rebounds.
“I think this was just a newer team trying to find its way against a veteran team that’s won a lot of games,” head coach Paul Weir said. “I think that NMSU knows how to win those (close) games and has the experience to do it, and we’re still trying to figure that out.
“These guys are fighting and I can’t say anything negative about them … they are giving it all they’ve got, we just have to find a way to improve and find a way to win games like this before the season is over.”
Despite being down their leading scorer in arguably one of the biggest games of the year, the Lobos battled and went up on the Aggies, who reached the NCAA Tournament last season as the WAC Champions, by as much as nine points with 10 minutes left in the game. Nine points was the largest lead of the game by either team.
Lobos lose a close game vs NM State. Here’s the recap. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/bORLWhEQzs
— New Mexico Lobos (@UNMLOBOS) December 10, 2017
Freshman Makuach Maluach earned his first career start on the night. At the 10-minute mark, Maluach slammed a crowd-pleasing, one-handed dunk with unmatched enthusiasm from an excited Lobo crowd.
NMSU responded with three points from the game’s leading scorer Zach Lofton, who tallied a game-high 22 points on the night, to cut the Lobo lead to six and eventually whittle UNM’s advantage to three, 56-53 with 5:21 left.
The Aggies cut the deficit to one, 57-58 on a Lofton jumper and overtook the Lobos at the 2:34 mark on a Lofton layup, holding on for the win.
Lobo junior Anthony Mathis, who has been hot from behind the arc as of late, got a good look with the seconds winding down, but was forced to shoot from deep at the last second and missed. Mathis is 48.2 percent (27-56) on the season from three. Senior Joe Furstinger nearly got the putback before time expired.
As a team, UNM shot 39.9 percent compared to 42.6 percent for NMSU. The game marked just the second time this season that UNM committed more turnovers than it’s opponent (19-17). NMUS outscored the Lobos in the paint, 36-20, but UNM collected more points on the fast break, 11-8. Both teams tallied 13 second-chance points on the night.
The Lobos will have seven days to recuperate from Saturday’s game vs. NMSU before taking on Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 16 at Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit on CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m.