Nov. 30, 2008
The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team dropped a 68-62 game to Drake tonight in the consolation game of the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico. The Lobos were led by senior Daniel Faris’s 14 points on 5-10 shooting and 4-9 from the FT line. With the loss, New Mexico falls to 3-4 on the season while Drake improved to 3-2.
The Lobos battled through a back-and-forth first half that saw each team build a five point lead only to end the period tied at 31. UNM was 5-8 from behind the arc in the first period and 10-22 from the field overall.
The game was tied at 36 with just over 17 minutes left on the clock before Drake went on a 14-4 over the next four minutes. The Bulldogs built a 16-point lead with 5:45 left in the game behind FTs from Jacob Beryenbruch.
New Mexico tried to mount a comeback in the closing miuntes, pulling to within four at 66-62 on a 3-pt. FG from Chad Toppert with 22 seconds left. However, Drake iced the game from the line to post the 68-62 win.
UNM shot 4-14 from 3-pt. range in the second half and was just 9-20 from the FT line for the game. Toppert added 12 points on 4-8 shooting from 3-pt. range. Junior Roman Martinez also hit double figures for UNM, scoring 11 points on 5-8 shooting and 1-3 from 3-pt. range.
New Mexico returns home to face Southern Miss on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 4:00 p.m. (M.S.T.) in The Pit. The game will be televised on The Mtn.