Lobos Remain Undefeated at Home; Top Montana 72-63
BOX SCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY | POST-GAME NOTES | POST-GAME QUOTES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team extended its unbeaten streak at home to 5-0 on Sunday afternoon with a 72-63 win over the Montana Grizzlies. The Lobos were powered by a 20-point, 14-rebound effort from redshirt-senior Carlton Bragg Jr. in his second double-double of the season.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 7-2 on the season while the Grizzlies drop to 3-5 overall. Montana’s losses this season include Sunday’s game against UNM, as well as Stanford, Arkansas and No. 25 Washington.
On the night, the Lobos were edged in field goal percentage 43.1 – 43.3 but fired at a clip of 46.2 percent from behind the arc while holding the Griz to just 31.8 percent from three. UNM outrebounded Montana 43-31 while turning the ball over just nine times, marking UNM’s lowest turnover total of the season.
The first half of Sunday’s contest was one heavy on defensive effort as neither team reached double digits through the first 7:34. In fact, the Lobos went scoreless for 6:56 before Bragg registered a pair of free throws to make it a two-point game, 10-8, in favor of Montana.
“What’s been best [about Bragg] has been his free throw shooting,” head coach Paul Weir said. “To have a big of his size, that you can feel confident with every time he goes to the free throw line is a great benefit to the program and our team. Today he was [also] finishing around the rim terrific and [had a big block].”
Three minutes and nine seconds after snapping UNM’s cold spell from the floor, Bragg was found behind the arc by redshirt-junior Zane Martin, who collected 11 points of his own on the night, and Bragg sunk his first career 3-pointer to spark a 9-0 run that included back-to-back-back threes by not only Bragg, but also sophomore Tavian Percy and redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle.
Carlton Bragg with his first THREE of the season to make it 13-14 Montana! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/DwaWOiors5
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 1, 2019
The burst of energy and points took UNM from trailing by four to leading by five, 19-14 at the 6:51 mark of the first half. UNM would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the half.
And the Lobos are heating up behind the arc as Tavian Percy hits another THREE to give the Lobos a 16-14 lead with 7:16 left in the first half. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/HYJF5ddnap
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 1, 2019
The Lobos traded quick threes with Montana as freshman Josh Vazquez, who posted 16 points on the day, followed Lyle’s three but on the next possession, redshirt-junior JJ Caldwell knocked one down from 3-point range to keep it a five-point game, 22-17 Lobos.
It was Bragg that gave UNM its largest leads of the half with a layup at the 4:54 mark for a seven-point Lobo advantage, 24-17, and again with just 50 seconds left when he hit a pair from the stripe. He pushed the Lobo lead to eight to cap an 8-0 run, 32-24. Montana hit a jumper with 25 seconds left to end the half on an 8-2 Lobo run for the 32-26 score at the break.
Montana came out of the locker room with a pair of free throws at the 19:06 mark to make it a four-point game, 32-28, before junior Makuach Maluach, who had a quiet first half, scored five straight for UNM. Maluach hit a fast-break three to make it a seven-point game, followed with a dunk, his third of the season, to put the Lobos up by nine.
Maluach comes out of the break with five points for the Lobos on a three and this DUNK! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/8oa9pCiHUC
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 1, 2019
Montana reclaimed the lead just once more with 8:59 left on the clock when redshirt-senior Kendal Manuel hit a three to put the Griz up by one, 50-49. The lead was short-lived however as Bragg hit yet another pair of free throws to put UNM up for good, 51-50 with 8:35 left to play.
UNM continued to add to the lead and eventually got out to a 10-point advantage, the largest lead of the game, with 1:09 left when Martin hit a free throw to make it 69-59 en route to the nine-point, 72-63 final.
Bragg went 9-for-11 from the free throw line and 5-for-8 from the floor on his way to leading UNM with his 20 points. He was followed by Lyle who registered 16 points and three assists. Martin was the third Lobo to collect double figures with 11 while Caldwell led UNM with five assists and three steals.
Montana was led by senior Sayeed Pridgett who posted 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists along with Vazquez who notched 16 points.
The Lobos are set to return to action Wednesday, Dec. 4 when they kick off Mountain West play with a 7 p.m. contest against Boise State inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit.