New Mexico vs. New Mexico State - Postgame Notes

Dec. 11, 2010

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Saturday, December 11, 2010 – Albuquerque, N.M.

• New Mexico improves to 7-1 with a 78-62 victory over New Mexico State. The Lobos have won five in a row. New Mexico State falls to 2-7 and has lost seven straight.
• The Lobos have won 7 in a row over NMSU, UNM’s longest streak in the series since a 7-game run from 1995-99.
• UNM has won 12 straight home games overall and 16 in a row at home against non-conference competition. The last non-conference home loss was to UTEP (73-60) on Jan. 6, 2009.
• UNM allowed a season-low 26 points in the second half
• NMSU grabbed a 46-45 lead (its first since 13-12), but UNM responded with an 13-0 run to take a 58-46 advantage…the Aggies were held scoreless for 3:32
• After being outrebounded 45-40 last week in Las Cruces, including 25-10 on the offensive end, UNM held a 48-31 edge tonight, including 18-7 on the offensive glass
• UNM is 31-2 in its last 33 games when outrebounding its opponent
• New Mexico had a 21-2 scoring advantage in 2nd-chance points and 48-20 in Points in the Paint
• Attendance was 15,330…average attendance for five home games in 2010-11 is 14,983
• New Mexico had 6 dunks tonight after just 15 the first seven games of the season. UNM had 5 slams in the 1st half, including 3 in a span of 36 seconds (9:17 to 8:41) by Emmanuel Negedu, A.J. Hardeman and Kendall Williams
• The Lobos have exceeded 40 points in the first half for two straight games, and for the third time in the last five
• Hamidu Rahman’s 17 rebounds are the most ever against a Steve Alford-coached Lobo team
• In all seven wins this season, the Lobos have had at least a 17-point lead at one point, and they have had at least a 20-point lead in all five home games
• New Mexico received 1.5 points tonight to clinch its fourth straight Rio Grande Rivalry title. UNM has 15 points in 2010-11 to 3 for NMSU. The rivalry trophy is presented to the school that wins the yearly challenge series in an all-sports competition between the state’s two NCAA Division I institutions.
• Tonight was the 206th meeting between the in-state rivals. UNM has a 112-94 lead in the series that began Dec. 22, 1904.

Head coach Steve Alford

• Coached his 601st career game tonight
• 391-210 in his 20-year coaching career
• 83-27 in his fourth season at New Mexico, surpassing Dave Bliss (82) for most wins by a Lobo coach in his first four seasons
• 7-1 in his career against New Mexico State
• 54-5 in The Pit overall, 33-2 against non-conference competition
• 15-2 in his career against current members of the Western Athletic Conference
• Called for his first technical foul since March 12, 2009 (Wyoming – MWC Tournament)

Senior G Dairese Gary

• 16 points and a season-high 8 assists
• Moved ahead of Willie Banks for 6th place all-time at UNM with 425 career assists
• Since the start of 2008-09, UNM is 28-2 when Gary has five or more assists in a game
• 5th place all-time in the MWC record book with 425 career assists
• Remains in 23rd place all-time at UNM with 1,105 career points
• 6th all-time at UNM with 417 FTs made and 6th with 568 FTs attempted
• Made his 105th consecutive start, which ties for the longest current streak in the nation. Richmond’s Kevin Anderson has also started 105 in a row.

Sophomore F Emmanuel Negedu

• Career-high 10 rebounds and 9 points in just 18 minutes tonight
• Averaging 7.8 rebounds and 15.8 minutes the past 4 games
• Averaging 5.8 rebounds and 14.8 minutes on the season

Freshman F Cameron Bairstow

• A career-high 7 rebounds and 6 points in a career-high 26 minutes

Freshman G Kendall Williams

• 15 points for his 4th game in double figures this season

Junior G Phillip McDonald

• 10 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes
• His 5 offensive rebounds are the most by a Lobo this season