Lobos Close Regular Season On High Note, Defeating Rams 72-61

March 5, 2005

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – Danny Granger scored 19 points and New Mexico used
a 17-0 run in the second half to rally for a 72-61 win over Colorado State
Saturday night.

New Mexico (23-6, 10-4 Mountain West) finished the regular season with its
ninth win in the last 10 games and a runner-up finish to Utah in the
conference.

Colorado State (11-16, 3-11) led 38-33 at halftime and 44-40 with 16:48 left
in the game. But the Rams quickly fell apart by going more than nine minutes
without scoring.

While New Mexico was building its scoring run, CSU was committing seven
straight turnovers. The string of turnovers followed a time-out, during which
New Mexico coach Ritchie McKay and CSU coach Dale Layer were both assessed
technicals for repeatedly arguing calls by the officials.

Seven-footer Matt Nelson, who led the Rams with 15 points, finally broke the
scoring drought with a layup with 7:34 left.

New Mexico countered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Alfred Neale and Ryan
Wall for a 63-46 lead.

CSU, which has lost 18 of the last 20 games against New Mexico, used a 10-1
run late in the first half to take a 29-26 lead. The Rams stretched it to 38-31
on a pair of free throws by Michael Morris with 10.4 seconds left in the first
half.

Nelson scored on a dunk in the opening minute of the second half but New
Mexico started its second half rally with seven straight points. Neale, who
finished with 11 points, hit a 3, Granger a pair of free throws and Mark
Walters got a favorable roll on a shot inside to tie it at 40.

Matt Williams scored back-to-back baskets for the Rams, but by then New
Mexico’s defense had disrupted CSU’s offensive flow. The Rams, despite their
second half scoring problems, still shot 58 percent for the game. Not enough to
offset their 24 turnovers.

CSU freshman 7-footer Jason Smith scored 12 points and had 8 rebounds.