Dec. 28, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) – David Chiotti scored 15 points to lead New Mexico to a 66-60 win over Dartmouth in the first round of the Lobo Invitational on Wednesday night. The Lobos have won four of their last five games overall and extend their home winning streak to 17 games, matching the fourth longest streak in school history.
The Lobos (8-4) withstood a late Dartmouth charge. After going 0-for-5 from beyond the arc in the first half, the Big Green made its first six 3-pointers after the break and eventually cut New Mexico’s lead to six. The Big Green (1-7) hit 8 of 10 from 3-point range in the second half.
The Lobos stayed ahead by pounding the ball inside to Chiotti and getting a key layup from Jeff Hart. Chiotti finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Hart, Tony Danridge and Mark Walters added 11 points each.
Chuck Flynn and Leon Pattman led Dartmouth with 13 points each. Mike Lang added 11.
A pair of 3-pointers from freshman point guard Ryan Kersten helped New Mexico jumped out to a 14-2 lead. Hart stretched the lead after hitting 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions.
Dartmouth made its first field goal, by Flynn, at the 19:01 mark and it took another seven minutes before Johnathan Ball added two more points from the free throw line to make it 14-2.
Dartmouth missed 10 straight field goals until Brian McMillan hit a jumper to end the drought at 10:12.
The game was delayed for 13 minutes in the first half when the shot clock over the south basket malfunctioned.
The tournament’s second game was between Radford and Texas-Arlington. The Lobos will play the winner in the final round Thursday night, while Dartmouth will play the loser.