Lobos Rout Undefeated No. 5/6 Nevada, 85-58
BOX SCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY | POST-GAME NOTES | POST-GAME QUOTES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team handed No. 5/6 Nevada its first loss of the season on Saturday evening at home in Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit. The 27-point win breaks the UNM record for largest victory margin over a top-10 ranked team, surpassing the previous record of 20 points set on Jan. 29, 1969 against No. 8 New Mexico State (86-66).
The game also marks the first time the Lobos topped a ranked team since Jan. 3, 2015 when UNM claimed a 66-53 win over No. 24 Colorado State in Albuquerque and snaps Nevada’s four-game win streak in the series.
“This was about players. These guys played their butts off and bought into what I’m selling,” head coach Paul Weir said. “I am happy for them. I am happy that they get to enjoy this moment.”
The Lobos (8-6, 2-0 MW) were powered by a career-high 27 points from senior Anthony Mathis and a near triple-double for redshirt-sophomore Vance Jackson who tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Jackson was one of two Lobos to register double-figures on the boards including redshirt-junior Carlton Bragg who racked up 12 rebounds and nine points along with a pair of blocks.
Nevada (14-1, 1-1 MW) entered the contest as one of just four undefeated teams in NCAA DI and allowed just 66.1 points per game of opponents so far this season. Nevada also entered the game averaging just 5.7 turnovers per game and the Lobos turned them over 14 times while committing just nine, tying the season low.
The Lobos held Wolf Pack leading-scorer, Preseason MW Player of the Year and Preseason All-American Caleb Martin to just eight points on the night (2-for-14).
Sporting brand new, gold, “We Are New Mexico” jerseys, the Lobos got out to a strong start defensively and did not let up. Nevada scored its first basket 1:23 into the contest but did not score again until the 16:29 mark to make the score 3-2 just 3:31 into the game.
The Lobos then embarked on a 20-6 run over 7:52 to take a 13-point lead, 22-9, over the historically-comeback-proficient Wolf Pack. Nevada cut it back to single digits at eight, 24-16, but UNM pushed the lead back to 15 on four points by senior Dane Kuiper, a layup by sophomore Vladimir Pinchuk and a three from Mathis, 33-18 with 2:27 left.
The teams went back and forth for the rest of the half and with UNM up 15 (38-23), Nevada’s Jazz Johnson hit a three at the buzzer to make it a 12-point Lobo advantage at the break.
UNM fired at a clip of 45.9 percent from the field in the first half and 30.8 percent from 3-point range while holding Nevada to 37.9 from the field, 30.0 percent from behind the arc.
The second half kicked off much like the first in a strong defensive showing by both squads as the first bucket was a Wolf Pack alley-oop at the 18:27 mark. Nevada scored three straight points to cut UNM’s lead back to single digits (38-29, 17:57) but a Jackson jumper outside the paint, a pair of Nevada’s Jordan Caroline free throws and a pair of Mathis free throws put UNM back up by 11, 42-31, and UNM did not again relinquish the double-digit lead.
The teams kept the game within 16 points until sophomore Makuach Maluach hit a three at the 7:48 mark to make it a 19-point game, 64-45. The basket marked the beginning of a 10-3 run that included another pair of threes from Maluach and Jackson, 74-48, 5:40 left.
MALUACH THREE! Jackson finds Maluach for the three, his first of the night!
Lobos lead 65-45.#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/yiImK3EASi— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) January 6, 2019
UNM continued to pile on the points building almost a 30-point lead with 2:35 remaining on a Mathis three, and again at 1:44 on a Mathis free throw, 85-56.
Nevada’s Cody Martin hit one last fast-break layup for the 85-58 final with 1:36 left on the clock.
On the night, UNM outshot the Wolf Pack 45.6 percent to 33.3 percent. The Lobos also scored 20 points off of Nevada turnovers compared to just five points for the Wolf Pack.
The Lobos are set to return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 8, when they host UNLV at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
Court storming in Albuquerque! @UNMLoboMBB pic.twitter.com/kpPa5cFuiJ
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) January 6, 2019