Lobos Improve to 13-0 in The Pit; Top SJSU by 27
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Despite being down four starters on Tuesday night, The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team executed an energetic 27-point victory (86-59) over San José State inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit, improving the Lobo record to a perfect 13-0 at home this season. The victory margin ties the largest for UNM so far this season.
The victory also came on “Suits & Sneakers” night, in which UNM worked to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer and the Children’s Cancer Fund of NM, marking the first time this season that head coach Paul Weir donned a suit instead of his familiar red sweater.
The Lobos (16-5, 5-3 MW) earn their first 13-0 mark at home since the 1998-99 season, UNM’s last season as a member of the WAC. That season, UNM went on to 16-0 at home. The win also gives the Lobos the series split with SJSU (6-14, 2-6 MW) after the Spartans claimed a three-point victory over the Lobos in San Jose on New Year’s Day. UNM is now 9-1 against the Spartans in Albuquerque and 15-3 in series history.
The Lobos were led by a pair of players scoring 20 points or more including redshirt-junior Zane Martin (20) and senior Corey Manigault (21). Martin’s marks a season-high for the former Towson high-scorer as he has taken on a traditionally different role so far in his time at UNM.
Junior Makuach Maluach also had a standout game as the only Lobo starter to remain suited up on Tuesday night, starting his 44th consecutive matchup. He registered his first double-double of the season, just the second in his career, with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Redshirt-sophomore Keith McGee was the fourth Lobo to register double figures with 10 points, collecting his most in his last 11 contests while redshirt-sophomore Vante Hendrix accumulated eight points, four rebounds, a season-high five assists and two steals.
The Lobos jumped on top of the Spartans early and never let up, limiting SJSU to just one point through the first 3:30 with an 8-1 run for a seven-point lead. SJSU went on a 5-0 run to make it a two-point game at the 14:45 mark, but that was as close as the Spartans would get for the remainder of the contest as Maluach hit a three on the next posession to spark a 6-0 run that made it an 11-point game just midway through the first half, 19-8.
With just 3:37 left in the half, the Spartans had whittled the score down to four (31-25) before the Lobos closed the first half on a devastating 12-4 run for a 12-point Lobo halftime advantage, including a last-second layup by Hendrix, 41-29.
The Lobos brought the momentum into the second half and the game was out of reach for the Spartans for the remainder of the contest as UNM piled on the points for a 30-point advantage with 11:11 left.
San José State was led by sophomore Seneca Knight who was the only Spartan to score in double figures. In the teams’ last meeting, it was junior Richard Washington who put up seven threes on the Lobo defense. In Tuesday night’s matchup, UNM’s defense held him to just 1-for-2 from the floor in 17 minutes, his one make was from 3-point range.
Overall the Lobos outshot the Spartans 56.6 – 27.0 percent from the floor including 31.3 – 20.0 percent from deep. UNM also outscored SJSU 44-20 in the paint and capitalized on the Spartans’ 14 turnovers for 16 points compared to 10 points off of 11 Lobo turnovers.
UNM is set to return to action on Saturday for a highly-anticipated matchup on the road in Reno as the Lobos take on the Nevada Wolf Pack, led by former UNM head coaches Steve Alford and Craig Neal. Fans unable to make the journey to Reno can watch live on CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m. MT.