Lobos Extend Win Streak To Four, Defeating Aztecs 78-61
Feb. 26, 2005
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Mark Walters scored 20 points and Danny Granger added 17
points to lead New Mexico to its fourth straight victory, a 78-61 win over San
Diego State on Saturday night.
New Mexico (21-6, 8-4 Mountain West), which led 27-25 at halftime, took
control of the game in the first five minutes of the second half with a 17-4
run to increase its lead to 44-29.
The Lobos were hot in the second half, hitting 60.7 percent (17 of 28) of
their field goal attempts.
David Chiotti scored two inside baskets to start the decisive run and New
Mexico made three 3-pointers, including one by Troy DeVries to cap the run at
the 15:19 mark.
San Diego State (10-15, 4-8) cut the lead to 63-55 with 4:45 remaining on
Brandon Heath’s steal and layup. But Alfred Neale and Granger hit 3-pointers on
consecutive possessions to put New Mexico ahead 69-55.
Walters made 8 of 12 shots to lead a balanced attack. Chiotti scored 14
points and DeVries added 13.
Brandon Heath and Marcus Slaughter each scored 13 points to lead the Aztecs,
who lost their fourth straight game.
Slaughter, who only played five minutes in the second half due to a sprained
left big toe, dominated the opening minutes of the game, going 5-for-6 from the
field and scoring all of San Diego State’s points as it opened an 11-4 lead in
the first five minutes of the game.
But the Aztecs then went more than 14 minutes with just one field goal
before scoring two baskets in the final minute, including Chris Manker’s jumper
at the halftime buzzer.