Lobos Extend Win Streak to Six; Top GCU by 20
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 win streak to six on Tuesday evening with a 91-71 rout of the visiting Grand Canyon ‘Lopes (4-8). The contest marked the fifth time this season that the Lobo offense has reached 90 points.
With the victory, the Lobos improve to 11-2 overall to continue UNM’s best start to the season since the 2012-13 season. In addition, UNM is now 8-0 at home inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit and 5-0 to open December.
The Lobos were led by a pair of 20 point scorers marking the first time since Nov. 17, 2018 against NM State that the Lobos have had a pair of players score 20+ points. Tuesday night, it was redshirt-seniors JaQuan Lyle who led with 21 points, followed by classmate Carlton Bragg Jr. who registered 20 points and 14 rebounds for his fourth double-double in the last five games.
Bragg went 7-for-10 from the floor and a perfect 2-for-2 from behind the arc for just his second and third career 3-pointers. He also registered a perfect 4-for-4 mark from the free throw line and an assist while Lyle was 6-for-9 from the floor, 4-for-5 from three and a perfect 5-for-5 from the stripe with six assists and a pair of steals.
The Lobos also debuted a new weapon on Tuesday night in Vante Hendrix, the Utah transfer who was declared eligible to play prior to Tuesday evening’s contest. Hendrix tallied 12 points, all in the second half and all from behind the arc. He finished 4-for-6 from 3-point range.
Hendrix marked the third of five Lobos to score in double figures Tuesday including redshirt-juniors Vance Jackson (12) and Zane Martin (11). Jackson’s 12 points marked a season high.
Overall, the Lobos outshot the ‘Lopes 55.4 – 48.3 from the floor and 53.8 – 18.2 percent from 3-point range. UNM went a season-best 14-for-26 from behind the arc marking the most threes UNM has fired this season and the second time this season that the Lobos have scored more from 3-point range than their opponent (Grand Canyon made just two threes on the night, 2-11).
The Lobos also outrebounded 36-24 and capitalized on 12 GCU turnovers for 20 points.
GCU led for just 1:18 of the contest in the early minutes of the game. UNM got out by as many as three before a 6-1 run put the ‘Lopes on top by two, 10-8, at the 13:40 mark.
The Lobos quickly rebounded however, with a 12-0 run that was started by a Lyle three, included a pair of Bragg dunks and was capped by a Bragg three. Bragg netted seven points in the run that put UNM up by double digits for the first time, 20-10.
Lyle with the steal to Bragg for the DUNK! Lobos lead 15-10 and the Lopes call a timeout. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/SaXOHghV4o
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 18, 2019
UNM continued its dominating performance throughout the remainder of the first half before an 11-point UNM advantage (31-20) was whittled down to a four-point lead with 52 seconds left in the first half. GCU used a 7-0 run to close the gap to 31-27 but UNM worked the lead back to six, 37-31, at the break.
The Lobos exploded out of the second half with a 6-0 run on a pair of threes from Lyle and Jackson to make it a 12-point game, 43-31.
Lobos open the second half on a 6-0 run after this Jackson THREE! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/3Dir3lZSRY
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 18, 2019
GCU got the contest back within eight 3:29 later before the Lobos embarked on a massive 11-0 run that was sparked by a dunk from junior Makuach Maluach followed by a free throw and a trio of threes from Lyle, Martin and Hendrix within 3:46.
The spurt put the Lobos up by 20, 59-39 with 12:25 left to play.
UNM held at least a 13-point lead for the rest of the matchup en route to the 20-point victory.
The Lobos have two more home contests before heading back out on the road. UNM is set to take on Houston Baptist on Sunday, Dec. 22 at 12:30 p.m. inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit.