Lobos Upset No. 13 Utes

Feb. 21, 2005

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By PETE HERRERA
AP Sports Writer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – With the shot clock winding down and a defender in
his face, New Mexico guard Mark Walters launched a 3-pointer that banked in
late in the second half.

It was that kind of a night for Walters and the Lobos, who ended No. 13
Utah’s 18-game winning streak with a 65-54 victory Monday night.

“I think he gave them the (Michael) Jordan pose after he hit the bank,”
New Mexico coach Ritchie McKay said. “He was phenomenal tonight.”

Walters hit 7 of 11 shots, had nine rebounds and three steals as the Lobos
(20-6, 7-4 Mountain West) used tenacious defense and strong rebounding to win
for the sixth time in seven games.

The Utes (23-4, 11-1), who clinched the conference regular-season title with
a victory over Air Force on Saturday, shot just 37 percent. Utah, which had the
nation’s second-longest winning streak behind top-ranked Illinois, entered the
game ranked second in the nation in field goal percentage (52.8) and third in
rebounding margin.

“They took the fight to us,” Utah coach Ray Giacoletti said. “New Mexico
was the aggressor.”

Utah center Andrew Bogut, averaging 20.6 points and 11.8 rebounds a game,
finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. But he shot just 3-for-11 in the
second half and didn’t get many touches until after the Lobos’ lead had reached
double digits late in the second half.

The Utes also didn’t have much success on the perimeter, shooting just
4-for-21 from 3-point range.

“We started settling for outside shots,” Giacoletti said. “If those don’t
go in, we’ve got problems. That’s why we’d want to establish things inside.”

The Utes never did and Giacoletti said loud crowd at The Pit had a lot to do
with his team’s inability to get into a flow.

“Everyone needs to be on the same page when you come into a situation like
this,” Giacoletti said. “Your players can’t hear you, so you need somebody on
the court to take charge.”

Danny Granger, New Mexico’s leading scorer and rebounder, had 15 points and
nine boards, but it was Walters who repeatedly hit the big shot or came up with
a key steal.

Just before his banked 3, Walters hit a layup that started a 7-0 run that
gave New Mexico a 56-42 lead with 3:42 left. Much of the game, the Utes left
Walters open and he cashed in his chances.

“I had to take the shot,” he said. “I was wide open. I was feeling pretty
good and my teammates kept giving me the ball.”

Utah got within 58-51 on a dunk by Justin Hawkins with 1:13 left, but New
Mexico sealed it with five free throws and a dunk by David Chiotti in the final
57 seconds.

Walters, who had scored a total of 18 points in the past four games, set the
tempo with a layup 12 seconds into the game. That basket initiated an 8-0 run
that sent The Pit crowd of 17,360 into a frenzy.

Utah, which had not lost since falling to Arizona 67-62 on Dec. 11, took a
17-15 lead on a 3-pointer by Tim Drisdom with 7:37 left in the first half.

Walters broke a 24-all tie and put the Lobos in front for good with a
3-pointer with 1:20 left in the half. New Mexico stretched the lead to 31-26
after Utah point guard Marc Jackson was called for an intentional technical
foul for shoving New Mexico reserve Ryan Wall.

New Mexico built its lead in the second half as Utah scored just one field
goal in the first 6 minutes.