Maluach Scores 26, Lobos Outpaced by AF, 100-92
USAFA, COLO. — Despite registering its highest point total since Nov. 21 against Tennessee Tech, The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team was outpaced by the Air Force Falcons on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 100-92. Six Lobos scored in double figures including a career-high 26 points from freshman Makuach Maluach en route to the loss.
UNM falls to 12-14 overall, 7-6 in conference play, while Air Force improves to 10-13, 4-7 in the Mountain West.
The Lobos were led in scoring by Maluach, junior Anthony Mathis (15), senior Sam Logwood (14), junior Troy Simons (11), senior Antino Jackson (10) and junior Chris McNeal (10). Jackson also posted his second point-assist double-double of the season, adding 10 assists to his 10 points. He also tied Logwood with a team-high five rebounds.
For the second-straight game, UNM failed to maintain its halftime lead, having led the Falcons 53-46 at the break. Maluach had an impressive showing in the first half, pacing the Lobos with 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor while going 3-for-3 from behind the arc.
The game started out slow with neither team in double digits by the first media timeout (9-3), but the momentum picked up and the Lobos got ahead by 10 at the 11:04 mark on a 3-pointer by Simons, 21-11. The Lobos did not trail in the first half, shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from 3-point range.
It all changed in the second half.
Air Force exploded out of the locker room with a 12-0 run to take a five-point lead at the 15:19 mark in the second half, 58-53. In that opening 4:41, the Lobos were whistled for six fouls including a pair on Mathis and one on Simons, Kuiper, Maluach and Pinchuk. Four of which were called within 36 seconds to quickly put Air Force close to bonus territory.
Simons scored a layup to cut the deficit to three before fouling to put Air Force’s Trevor Lyons at the line for a pair of free throws.
A Maluach 3-pointer and a Simons dunk tied the game at 60-60 with 13:42 to play before the Lobos got out to a 3-point lead with 12:04 on the clock on a Maluach layup.
Air Force responded with a 15-2 run to take a commanding 10-point lead with 7:33 left. The Lobos battled but would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
The Lobos went 11-for-12 from the free throw line over the final seven minutes of the contest to finish 22-for-28 on the night (78.6 percent),
The Lobos shot 50 percent from the floor on the night for the fifth time this season and finished 51.9 percent from behind the arc. Air Force fired at a clip of 59 percent from the floor, 27.8 percent from 3-point range. The Falcons finished 88.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Air Force outscored UNM in the paint (56-26), off of turnovers (22-13), off of second-chance points (11-3), on the fast break (10-2) and from the bench (33-27). The Falcons also outrebounded UNM 33-24.
Air Force was led by five scorers in double figures including Lyons with a team-high 16.
The Lobos will return to action at home on Wednesday, Feb. 14 for the Lobos Love Pink game against Utah State. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will air live on the Mountain West Network.