Broncos Sweep Lobos in First MW Series

BOISE, Idaho — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team endured a rough one on Wednesday night as it fell by a score of 89-52 in game two of the conference series against Boise State in Boise. Bronco and MW Preseason Player of the Year Derrick Alston, Jr. was one of two players to score 22 points against New Mexico en route to the win.

The Lobos (3-2, 0-2 MW) were outshot 33.3-60.0 from the floor and went just 11.1 percent from behind the arc, going 1-for-7 from deep. Boise State (6-1, 2-0 MW) went 11-for-22 (50 percent) from 3-point range.

Not only did Alston collect 22 points, but the redshirt-senior was unstoppable, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the floor including 3-for-3 from three and 1-for-1 from the stripe. The other scoring leader on the floor was Max Rice, son of Boise State head coach Leon Rice, who registered 22 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

The Lobos were led by three players with eight points apiece including senior Makuach Maluach, junior Saquan Singleton and sophomore Jeremiah Francis III. The game marked the fourth time in five games that Maluach has led UNM in scoring while Francis, who did not score against the Broncos in 26 minutes on Monday, registered a new UNM career high.

The Lobos kicked off the matchup with energy, getting out to a three-point lead, 5-2, on a 5-0 run that included a jumper and a free throw from redshirt-freshman Bayron Matos and a jumper by Francis. The home team tied it up, however, and took off on a 28-5 run that never let up.

The Broncos led 52-28 at the break going 6-for-11 from three compared to 0-for-2 from behind the arc for UNM. Boise State dominated in the paint 26-16 while forcing 11 Lobo turnovers, committing seven.

In the second half, Boise State continued to pile on the points and increase its lead however, a disciplined UNM posted just five fouls in the second half compared to 11 for the Broncos. UNM converted the fouls to seven points going 7-for-11 from the stripe.

The Lobos are scheduled to resume conference play on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, in a home contest hosted at Lubbock Christian University against Nevada. UNM will play the Wolf Pack on Dec. 31 on FS1 at 7 p.m. MT followed by Jan. 2 on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m.

Postgame Notes

• The Lobos lead the all-time series 12-8
• UNM is now 4-6 on the road in Boise
• Boise State has now won the last three matchups
• Boise State is now 3-2 over UNM in the last five games

TEAM NOTES:

• UNM’s starting lineup of Francis, Singleton, Maluach, Brown and Matos marked the first time this season that a duplicate lineup was used.
  • The five started both Boise State games
  • In HC Paul Weir’s first season, he led the nation in most starting lineups with 21
• The Lobos shot just 11.1 percent from behind the arc, going 1-for-7
  • The only three to make it in the basket for UNM came from sophomore Emmanuel Kuac
  • The last time the Lobos shot less than 50 percent from 3-point range was two seasons ago on Feb. 26, 2019 at San José State. UNM shot 42.1 percent from behind the arc (8-19) in that game
• The Lobos finished with 52 points on the night, equivalent to the number of points Boise State scored in the first half alone.
• The Lobos were outrebounded 36-26 (-10)
  • In UNM’s first contest against the Broncos on Monday, UNM was edged by six boards, 36-29
• For the third game this season, the Lobos featured 16 players on the court
  • The Lobos have had at least 15 players on the court in four out of UNM’s five games this season

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

• Sophomore Kurt Wegscheider led the Lobos with five rebounds on the night
  • It is the second time in his career that he has led the team in rebounds
  • UNM is 1-1 when Wegscheider has led in rebounds
• Three players led the Lobos in scoring with eight points including senior Makuach Maluach, junior Saquan Singleton and sophomore Jeremiah Francis III
  • The eight points marks the most for Francis as a Lobo and comes after he scored 0 points against the Broncos in game one on Monday
  • Maluach has now led the Lobos in scoring in four out of five games this season
• Maluach started his 61st straight game on Wednesday
  • He now totals 1,035 points and still ranks 30th in UNM program history for most career points
• Junior Saquan Singleton led the Lobos at the free throw line, going 6-for-7 from the stripe for nearly half of UNM’s total of 15 on the night
  • Singleton also led UNM in steals with two
• Boise State’s Derrick Alston, selected as the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year, racked up 22 points on the night going a perfect 9-for-9 from the floor including 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 1-for-1 from the stripe
  • He was matched by Max Rice, son of Boise State HC Leon Rice, who tallied 22 points on 9-for-13 from the field.
    • Rice also led both teams with seven rebounds.