Lobos Take Down Wisconsin in Brooklyn, 59-50
BOX SCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Following a disappointing defeat against No. 18/19 Auburn on Monday night, The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team rebounded with a victory over (RV) Wisconsin on Tuesday in the Lobos’ first win over a Power 5 team since 2012. Redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle led UNM with 14 points as one of four Lobos to register double figures as UNM topped the Badgers 59-50.
The contest wraps up the 2019 Roman Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper in New York. With the win, UNM improves to 6-2 while the Badgers slip to 4-3.
Along with Lyle’s 14 points, a trio of Lobos racked up 12 apiece including redshirt-senior Carlton Bragg as well as redshirt-juniors JJ Caldwell and Zane Martin. Lyle also led UNM in rebounds with a season-high nine boards, followed by Bragg who posted six and Caldwell who collected five.
Caldwell’s 12 points marked a new season high and along with his and Martin’s dozen, the pair also registered the most assists on the court with three apiece as UNM had 13 assists while forcing 14 turnovers.
UNM led for 31:48 of the contest, leading 29-20 at the half, marking the second-lowest point total for the Lobos in a half this season. It was the Lobos’ first-half advantage that won the game as both squads racked up an even 30 points in the second.
The Lobos started out strong in the first half getting out to an early four-point lead on a 3-pointer by redshirt-junior Vance Jackson at the 14:50 mark (9-5). The Badgers closed the gap and took a one-point lead (14-13), but the Lobos embarked on a 7-0 run with 6:47 left in the first half, sparked by a Bragg layup. Caldwell, who is typically the assist specialist on the squad, hit a jumper followed by a Lyle three to put the Lobos up by six, 20-14.
The Lobo advantage frazzled the Badger defense and UNM continued to pile on the points with another 7-0 run kicked off by a Caldwell triple (23-16). UNM got the advantage up to 11 twice in the final seconds of the first frame, the largest lead of the game, before the 29-20 first-half score. The Lobos outscored Wisconsin 16-6 over the final 6:47 of the first half.
The Lobos shot 44.4 percent from the field compared to 38.9 percent for the Badgers in the first half.
The Badgers whittled the score as close as three twice in the second half, but UNM never relinquished the lead.
On the night, the Lobos outshot Wisconsin 44.0 – 34.0 percent from the field including a 23.1 – 7.7 percent advantage from 3-point range. The Lobo defense held the Badgers to just two threes on the night out of 26 fired from behind the arc.
Wisconsin was led by junior Nate Reuvers who registered 16 points going 7-for-9 from the floor with five rebounds. Just one other Badger racked up double digits, redshirt-junior D’Mitrik Trice, who scored 11 with a team-high seven boards.
After a long road trip that included four tough contests, the Lobos will return to action inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit on Sunday, Dec. 1 against Montana at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.