Maluach Double-Double Not Enough, Lobos Drop Series Opener to Wyoming in Overtime

USAFA, Colo. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team wrapped up its second overtime game of the season on Wednesday night with an 83-74 loss to the Wyoming Cowboys inside Clune Arena in Colorado.

Senior Makuach Maluach led the Lobos (5-12, 1-12 MW) with his third double-double of the season registering 17 points and 12 rebounds. Maluach hit the 1,200 career points mark and is now tied for 22nd in Lobo scoring history.

Maluach was one of three Lobos to score in double figures including junior Saquan Singleton and freshman Isaiah Marin, both of which posted 13 points. The total marked a new career-best for Marin.

Wyoming (11-9, 5-8 MW) went on an early 9-0 run to take a 15-7 lead over UNM but the Lobos quickly closed the gap and overtook the Cowboys with a 10-0 run to tie the game and take the lead, 17-15 with 6:54 left in the first half.

The teams tied the game twice more in the half including with one minute left as Singleton hit a pair of free throws to tie it 28-28 and then take a narrow lead, 29-28.

The end of the second half included six straight free throw opportunities as Wyoming committed a foul followed by a pair of technicals from the Wyoming bench. The Lobos made just two of the six however and Wyoming scored five straight points to close the half up by four, 33-29.

On the night, the Lobos missed a total of 15 free throws to finish shooting 46.4 percent from the stripe (16-25).

The teams went back and forth in the second half but with 3:42 left to play, the Cowboys had overcome a seven-point deficit to take a one-point lead on a three from Wyoming’s Marcus Williams.

Isaiah Marin drains his second three pointer of the game. The freshmen is a perfect 4-4 from the field tonight. Lobos leading by seven with 6:13 left to the finish.#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/mdy8OQKqmM

— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) February 18, 2021

Freshman Isaiah Marin, who scored a pair of threes in just over a minute to give UNM the seven-point lead, did it again just one minute after Williams’ three to give the Lobos back the lead, 68-66, before another triple from the Cowboys at 1:34 turned the advantage back over to Wyoming, 69-68.

Wyoming increased its lead to three (71-68) on a pair of free throws with 47 seconds left but with 29 seconds left on the clock, Lobo freshman and Colorado Springs native Javonté Johnson made a clutch three to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Johnson hit the three on his homecoming, it marked his fifth 3-pointer of the year.

Javonté Johnson with the THREE to tie it up and send the Lobos into overtime in his hometown return! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/WRoSTQChrN

— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) February 18, 2021

Wyoming came out of the gate strong in overtime and outscored UNM 12-3 for the nine-point final. The Lobos went cold from the floor going just 1-for-9 from the field including 0-for-4 from 3-point range and 1-for-2 from the stripe.

Six of Wyoming’s eight players to see the court finished in double figures on the night. Williams led the Cowboys with 17 points while Kwane Marble III registered their lone double-double with 12 points and 12 boards.

The Lobos and the Cowboys are set for a rematch on Friday at 7 p.m. MT. Fans will be able to watch the game live on CBS Sports Network.

Postgame Notes

• The Lobos now lead the series over Wyoming 75-69.
• Wednesday’s loss marks just the second to Wyoming in head coach Paul Weir’s tenure (7-2).

TEAM NOTES:

• The Lobo lineup consisted of Singleton, Wegscheider, Maluach, Matos and Manuel marking the ninth starting lineup of the season
• The Lobos outshot the Cowboys 47.4-40.3 percent.
• UNM outrebounded Wyoming 44-40.
• New Mexico posted the largest run of the night, 10-0 with 6:54 left in the first.
• The game had 18 lead changes and was tied seven times.
• New Mexico led for 13:36, Wyoming led for 26:05.
• The game marks UNM’s second overtime game of the season.
  • The last time UNM played more than one overtime game in a season was in 2014-15 (3).
• Six of Wyoming’s eight players scored in double figures.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

• Senior Makuach Maluach led the Lobos with 17 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth career double-double, his third of the season.
  • The contest also marks his 57th double-digit scoring game of his career, 13th of the season.
  • He now posts 1,200 career points, ranking tied for 22nd in Lobo all-time scoring history.
  • Maluach is 40 points away from passing former Lobo great Cameron Bairstow (1,239) and 47 away from Marvin Johnson (1,246)
    • Marvin “Automatic” Johnson holds the UNM record for most points scored in a game (50).
• Maluach started his 73rd straight career contest on the night while competing in his 116th career game.
• Freshman Isaiah Marin tied his career-high 13 points on the night going 3-for-4 from behind the arc.
  • Marin’s three triples is also a new career high
• Junior Saquan Singleton registered his seventh double-digit scoring game of the season with 13 points.