Brown Double-Double Not Enough as Lobos Fall vs Nevada

LUBBOCK, Texas — Free throw shooting ultimately doomed the Lobos on New Year’s Eve Thursday as the UNM men’s basketball team fell to Nevada 68-54 inside Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas. Junior Rod Brown registered his first double-double as a Lobo with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for a New Mexico win.

UNM (3-3, 0-3 MW) shot just 42.9 percent from the stripe (15-for-35) leaving 20 points on the floor in a 14-point game. Nevada (7-3, 2-1 MW) went 24-for-31 from the line (77.4 percent) but both defenses were on their game on the night. Each team limited the other to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor as Nevada outshot the Lobos 38.5-31.0 percent.

In addition to Brown’s 14 points, senior Makuach Maluach led UNM in scoring for the fifth time in six games this season with 15 points. Nevada was led by a pair of players scoring 20+ points.

The Lobos started out with energy as Maluach hit a three for the first basket of the game just 30 seconds into the contest. It took 1:45 seconds and four turnovers before the Wolf Pack put its first points on the board with a pair of free throws at the 17:43 mark.

The UNM defense held tough and Nevada did not score its first bucket until sophomore Warren Washington slammed a dunk 6:55 into the contest. By that time, the Lobos had amassed a seven-point lead, 9-2, on a 6-0 run.

Nevada tied it up quickly however on a 7-0 run that leveled the game at 9-9. UNM got back out by five on a 3-pointer by senior Keith McGee to lead 14-9 with 10:24 left in the first half.

After a 2:02 scoring drought by both teams, Nevada went on am 8-0 run to get ahead by three, 17-14 that the squad never relinquished.

The Lobos ultimately fell behind by 10 at the half, 32-22, marking the third straight game that UNM went into the break down by double figures.

Nevada built on the lead and ran away with the game through the second half.

Saquan Singleton gets the steal and the slam to cut the deficit to 8. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/hGfN6Xk7LH

— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) January 1, 2021

The Lobos and the Wolf Pack will face off once more this season after a day’s break. The teams will compete on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network in Lubbock, Texas.

Postgame Notes

• Nevada now leads the series 9-7 overall
• Nevada has won the last four straight contests between the squads
• UNM is 1-8 over the last nine meetings with the Wolf Pack
• UNM still holds a narrow 4-3 advantage in “home” contests in series history
• The Lobos are now 4-4 on New Year’s Eve
  • UNM is 0-2 in Lubbock on NYE in program history

TEAM NOTES:

• UNM utilized the same starting lineup for the third straight game: Francis, Singleton, Maluach, Brown and Matos
  • It remains the only repeat starting lineup of the season.
  • In HC Paul Weir’s first season, he led the nation in most starting lineups with 21
• The Lobos shot just 42.9 percent from the free throw line, leaving 20 points on the table in a 14-point game.
• Both teams were held below 40 percent scoring from the floor
• For the third straight game, the Lobos were down by 10 or more points at the half
• UNM’s biggest lead was seven points in the middle of the first half (13:15) before Nevada built a 20-point lead with 10:11 left in the second half.
• Both teams scored 26 points in the paint and finished close in steals (7-6) and turnovers (16-15).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

• Junior Rod Brown registered his first double-double as a Lobo with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
  • He also tied for the lead in assists with four
    • He tied with fellow junior transfer Saquan Singleton
• Senior Makuach Maluach registered his 62nd straight start on the night as well as his 105th career game.
  • Maluach scored 15 points marking his fifth game out of six this season that he has registered double digits
    • His 15 points puts him at 1,050 career points, still ranking 30th in program history
  • Maluach scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half.
  • Maluach led the Lobos in scoring for the fifth time this season, just the 15th time in his career