Men's Basketball Opens Season with 20+ Point Win
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team opened its season with a 21-point victory over Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday evening inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit. Five Lobos racked up double figures in the 92-71 win.
The first points of the 2019-20 season came on a steal and a layup when redshirt-junior JJ Caldwell went coast-to-coast to kick off his first outing as a Lobo 1:15 into the first half – and the action didn’t stop there. The Lobos debuted at a break-neck speed in their season opener in which the fiery offense shot 60.0 percent from the field.
Caldwell goes coast-to-coast for the Lobos’ first points of the 2019-20 season! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/O4dYGZVlQD
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) November 7, 2019
The Lobos were led by a quiet 16 points from junior Makuach Maluach, who scored seven points in the first half before adding eight more in just the first five minutes of the second half. Maluach was joined in the double-digit club by redshirt-senior Carlton Bragg Jr, redshirt-junior Zane Martin and senior Corey Manigault, each with 13 points apiece, as well as redshirt-junior Keith McGee who posted 12.
The last time the Lobos had five double-digit scorers was against Iona at the start of last season, on Nov. 13, 2018.
In addition to the reliable shooting, the Lobos also saw redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle, who has sat the bench for two years as a Lobo (the first due to NCAA transfer rules, the second due to injury), not only scored nine points to go along with four rebounds, but also racked up an outstanding 11 assists. Lyle regularly found players down-court, firing passes between defenders, much to The Pit crowd’s delight.
New Mexico had just one Lobo collect 10+ assists in a game last season, Drue Drinnon on Dec. 30, 2018 against the University of the Southwest. Prior to that, it was former Lobo Antino Jackson, who was known for his knack for the assist, on Feb. 10, 2018 at Air Force.
In fact, Lyle nearly posted the first double-double in points and assists since Jackson did so in that game.
UNM went into the locker room at the half up by 11, 45-34, and shooting 62.1 percent compared to 40.7 percent (11-27) for the Greyhounds. However, Eastern New Mexico was dominating behind the arc, firing at a clip of 50.0 percent compared to 36.4 percent for UNM.
“Offense isn’t my concern right now,” head coach Paul Weir said. “We need to value the basketball more, which I think [was tonight] a little more careless than it is skill… We have a lot of potential, but I don’t think we’re going to reach it unless we can find a way to become a good defensive basketball team.
“I think we showed some flashes of it tonight, but obviously not anywhere we want to be, but that’s expected.”
The teams traded baskets in favor of ENMU, four points to two, throughout the first 1:12 of the second half before the Lobos exploded on a 13-0 run that started with a fast-break layup by Caldwell, included a Lyle 3-pointer and ended with a Maluach free throw for his 16th point at the 15:48 mark.
The run lasted 2:20 and put the Lobos on top by 23 points, a margin that was not relinquished until 2:56 on the clock as the Lobo starters began exiting the game.
UNM got the lead up to as many as 28 points, 81-53 with 8:01 on the clock en route to the 21-point win.
On the night, UNM fired 60 percent from the floor (33-55), 35 percent from 3-point range and 73.1 percent from the stripe. ENMU finished 37.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point range and 65 percent from the free throw line.
Leading the Greyhounds were a pair of double-digit scorers including senior Darius Sawyer (11 points) and junior Ibn Zaid (10) points. UNM limited ENMU’s returning leading scorer, junior Devin Pullum, to just seven points on the night. Pullum averaged 12.7 points per game last season.
The Lobos return to action on Saturday, Nov. 9 against CSUN at 7 p.m. Last season, UNM opened its campaign on the road in Northridge, claiming the victory on a buzzer-beating three.
Lobos win! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/ozXs6oLFdk
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) November 7, 2019