HOUSTON, TEXAS — Overcoming early nerves and as much as a five-point deficit in the first half, The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team topped the previously-undefeated Rice University Owls on Sunday afternoon by a score of 72-61.
The Lobos open the 2020-21 season 1-0 while Rice falls to 4-1.
Senior Makuach Maluach, who is the lone returning starter for the Lobos and started his 57th consecutive contest on Sunday, kicked off his senior year with his third career double-double. He led the Lobos with 23 points and 12 rebounds including six offensive boards. Sunday also marked his 100th career contest.
Rebounding was the story of the game as New Mexico pulled down 49 rebounds compared to 30 for Rice, including 19 offensive. The last time the Lobos had 20 or more offensive rebounds was in the 2018-19 season.
Maluach was one of three Lobos to score in double figures and was joined by junior Rod Brown who posted 11 points and seven rebounds as well as redshirt-freshman Bayron Matos who collected 10 points and five boards.
Both Matos and Brown were two of six players to make their Lobo debuts on Sunday along with junior Saquan Singleton, junior Valdir Manuel, sophomore Jeremiah Francis III and freshman Javonté Johnson.
The Lobos, an almost entirely new squad battling first-game jitters against a 4-0 team, went down by five, 15-10 with 9:54 left in the first half after a 7-0 Owl run that was capped by back-to-back threes for the home team.
UNM tied it up on a layup from Singleton and a three from sophomore Emmanuel Kuac, 15-15, before continuing on a 17-3 run over 7:06 to take a nine-point lead, 27-18.
The Lobos’ run was an even scoring effort featuring two points each from Singleton, Kuac, Brown, Francis III and Maluach, capped by back-to-back jumpers from Manuel.
Rice closed the gap to six, 31-25 at the half.
It was Manuel who put the Lobos up by double digits in the second half with a triple with 13:16 left on the clock to put UNM up 45-35.
Manuel with the TRIPLE to put the Lobos up by 10, 45-35 with just over 13 minutes left in the game. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/oSmAgH4QN8
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 13, 2020
Rice worked to battle back with a free throw and a layup to make it a seven-point game with 10:17 left, but Maluach quickly shut down any thought of a comeback with a jumper followed by a three at the top of the circle just 24 seconds apart. With the play, UNM went back up by double digits, 50-38, and Rice called a timeout to regroup.
Maluach with his first three of the season to put the Lobos up by 12, 50-38. Maluach leads the Lobos with 15 points. 9 mins left. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/YFXTgaUjvY
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 13, 2020
The UNM defense held tough while its offense pushed forward as the Lobos ultimately stretched the lead to 13 on a jumper by Francis III at 3:45. UNM was up by 13 with 21 seconds left before a three from Rice sophomore Quincy Olivari knocked it down to 10.
Maluach and Olivari finished the game with free throws for the 72-61 final.
Additional standout moments for the Lobos include a career-tying eight points from Kuac, nine points and six rebounds from Manuel and an early appearance for junior walk-on Clay Patterson.
Rice was led by Olivari, who notched 21 points, followed by sophomore Travis Evee who posted 15.
The Lobos are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 15 against Our Lady of the Lake at 5 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. CT in a neutral contest at Rice.