Lobos Make it 9-0 at Home; Win Streak Now at Seven
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team extended its win streak to seven on Sunday afternoon with a 19-point victory over the visiting Houston Baptist Huskies, 107-88. The contest marked the first time this season that UNM has reached triple figures.
Sunday’s contest also marks the sixth time this season that UNM has scored 90+ points. The last time the Lobos (12-2) registered six games scoring 90 points or more before the end of December was 21 seasons ago, in 1998-99.
UNM is now 9-0 at home inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit this season marking the first time since the 2010-11 season that the Lobos have racked up nine consecutive wins in Albuquerque. UNM is also 6-0 in the month of December for the first time since 2011-12.
For the first time this season, UNM debuted a new starting lineup on Sunday afternoon after a pair of regular starters, redshirt-senior Carlton Bragg Jr. and redshirt-junior JJ Caldwell, missed Sunday’s contest as announced prior to tipoff via media statement. In their place were redshirt-junior Zane Martin and senior Corey Manigault who combined for 40 points on the day.
It was Manigault who led the Lobos with 21 points going a near-perfect 9-for-10 from the floor followed by Martin with a season-high 19 points and six assists. Redshirt-senior JaQuan Lyle and junior Makuach Maluach also registered 19 points apiece. Redshirt-junior Vance Jackson posted a season-high 14 points to follow up his season best 12 points which he registered on Tuesday. All five starters scored in double figures on the day.
Houston Baptist (0-10), which boasts the third-toughest schedule in the nation according to KenPom ratings, was led by senior Jalon Gates who scored 30 points on the day. Gates is the first player this season to score 30 points against the Lobos.
Overall, UNM outshot HBU 64.1 to 51.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded 35-31 en route to the win. UNM also converted 14 Husky turnovers into 27 points compared to just 13 off of 10 for HBU.
The squads had seven lead changes through a close first half in which neither team was able to get ahead by more than six points before the Lobos went on a huge run in the second half to take the game. UNM had only trailed three times at the half this season, with a record of 2-1 when trailing at the break, but despite a two-point Lobo lead with 47 seconds left, HBU made a pair of layups in the final 31 seconds, including one at the buzzer, to take a two-point advantage at the break, 48-46.
HBU continued its run out of the break, extending it to 10-2 for a six-point lead (54-48) before the Lobos responded with a 16-0 run to take a 10-point lead at the 14:39 mark. The Lobos never trailed again.
The Lobo spurt included a big Maluach block followed by a Lyle-to-Manigault alley-oop that took the run to 11-0 and put UNM up 59-54, causing HBU to call a timeout.
Maluach with a BIG block and a Lyle –>Manigault ALLEY-OOP stretches the Lobo run to 11-0 and HBU calls a timeout. UNM leads 59-54. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/eTzIF6CrYU
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 22, 2019
Just 1:08 later, the Lobos extended the run to 16-0 on a Jackson steal that turned into a Martin fast-break layup on the other end. The play came just after a Manigault three from the left corner and the pair of plays caused the Huskies to call another timeout with 14:39 on the clock, when the Lobos led by 10 (64-54).
Manigault with the THREE followed by a Jackson steal and a Martin layup. Lobos on a 16-0 run and force another HBU timeout. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/Oi1Fctcqsy
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 22, 2019
UNM got ahead by as many as 22 points with 2:11 left on the clock en route to the 19-point final.
The Lobos are set to return to action on Sunday, Dec. 29, when they host UC Davis at 2 p.m. in The Pit. The contest will mark the last of the four-game home stand before UNM returns to the road to re-open conference play at San José State on New Year’s Day.