LUBBOCK, Texas — With a one-point lead with just 4:50 left to play, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team made it a close one against the Nevada Wolf Pack on Saturday night, but a 15-4 final run by Nevada clinched its victory in an 84-74 final.
The Lobos (3-4, 0-4 MW) showed resilience, stringing together the largest scoring run of the game, 14-0, in the second half, followed later by a 10-0 run for yet another comeback, but Nevada (8-3, 3-1 MW) pulled away with 2:20 left for the win.
UNM had four players score in double figures on the night including redshirt-senior Keith McGee (14), senior Makuach Maluach (13), junior Saquan Singleton (10) and sophomore Jeremiah Francis (10).
The Lobos built a seven-point lead early before Nevada chipped away and took a commanding 13-point lead of its own (35-22) with just 3:25 left in the first half. UNM however, fought back and narrowed the 13-point gap to just three on a 12-2 run over 2:41.
The run was the first of many on the night and was sparked by back-to-back threes from McGee and junior Valdir Manuel. Manuel’s triple was his third of the season.
Nevada opened the second half on a 7-1 run until the Wolf Pack’s momentum was halted by a Maluach three. Maluach scored five straight points to spark UNM’s longest run of the game, 14-0 and the Lobos took a five-point lead (51-46) with 13:20 left. The run included the three from Maluach as well as triples from McGee and freshman Isaiah Marin and three points from junior Saquan Singleton.
The overwhelming 14-0 Lobo run caused Nevada head coach (and former Lobo head coach) Steve Alford to call a timeout.
Isaiah Marin from the top of the key to force Nevada head coach Steve Alford to call timeout. Lobos up 51-46 with 13:12 to go in the second. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/blXteYuY3Y
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) January 3, 2021
Out of the huddle, the Wolf Pack’s Kane Milling hit back-to-back threes over a span of 46 seconds to reclaim a one-point lead.
The teams battled over the next two and a half minutes with neither getting a significant advantage but Nevada slowly built another near-double figure lead, nine points (69-60) on yet another Milling three at the 7:33 mark.
UNM once again battled back and went on a 10-0 run over 2:43 to take a one-point lead with 4:50 left on the clock.
Nevada quickly responded with 11 straight points to make it 80-70 with 2:20 left and the Lobos were not able to overcome the deficit.
Nevada just outshot the Lobos 49.0-45.1 percent from the floor and narrowly outrebounded UNM 29-28. The Wolf Pack was led by Grant Sherfield who posted 28 points on the night.
The Lobos remain in Lubbock and will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 6 when they host Utah State at Rip Griffin Center on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. CT.