Dec. 12, 2004
Albuquerque, N.M. (AP) – Danny Granger had 18 points and 12 rebounds and New Mexico held Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 18 points in the first half in a 77-53 win Sunday.
New Mexico (9-1) erased a 7-2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff lead with a 16-0 run over a four minute stretch early in the game.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-5) had only five field goals in the first half and the 18 points were the fewest scored against New Mexico in the first half this season.
Point guard Martese Coleman was the only Arkansas-Pine Bluff player in double figures with 17 points, including four 3-pointers.
But Coleman also had two of his layup shots swatted away by New Mexico guards Kris Collins and Mark Walters. The second drew the ire of Golden Lions coach Van Holt, who picked up a quick technical for disputing the block by Walters.
After scoring seven points in the game’s first three minutes, the Golden Lions went scoreless for a pair of five-minute stretches in the first half.
With five minutes left in the first half, the Golden Lions trailed 30-11. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which finished 1-26 last year, took 20 more shots than New Mexico but hit just 21 of 69.
New Mexico, off to its best start in four seasons, has played only two road games thus far and has scored runaway wins at home against such teams as Western New Mexico, Northern Colorado, North Carolina A&T and Northern Arizona.
The Lobos are home for another four games this month, but the schedule does go up a level next week when Tennessee and No. 6 Wake Forest come to The Pit.
Troy DeVries scored 13 points for New Mexico, including a trio of 3-pointers that ran his total for the season to a team-high 25.