Maluach Registers Fourth Straight 20-Point Game; Lobos Fall at CSU

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Behind the fourth straight 20-point game from senior Makuach Maluach, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team fell in style to Colorado State, 87-73, in its last contest of the regular season on Wednesday night. The Lobos racked up the second-most points against a D1 squad this season while four of the 10 Lobos to see the court were walkons.

While Maluach, who moved into 17th in UNM scoring history on the night, went 7-for-16 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line with a triple and eight rebounds, it was the walkons that stole the show. Prior to Wednesday’s game, the foursome had combined for just 75 points this season.

Freshman Eloy Medina registered his first collegiate points and debuted his sharp-shooting skills to Lobo fans, going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, while sophomore Logan Padgett went 3-for-4 from the floor including 1-for-2 from deep. Medina entered the game with six minutes on the season and collected almost nine on the floor Wednesday.

With the loss, the Lobos fall to 6-15, 2-15 MW, while Colorado State improves to 17-4, 14-3 MW.

Colorado State got out to a quick lead on an 11-2 run that caused Lobo head coach Paul Weir to call a timeout.

New Mexico continued battling to make it an eight point game, 18-10 before sophomore Emmanuel Kuac slammed down the alley-oop, assisted by Maluach, to cause CSU to take its first timeout.

Despite the break in play, the Lobos built on the momentum and went on a 12-2 run to tie the game 20-20.

Colorado State responded with a 21-4 run to reclaim a significant advantage, 41-22, en route to a 47-31 halftime score.

At the break, CSU’s Adam Thistlewood had registered 17 of the Rams’ 47 points going 7-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-4 from 3-point land.

The Lobos would get no closer than 14 the rest of the way.

Colorado State dominated in the paint and on the boards as the Rams outscored the Lobos 46-30 in the paint and outrebounded 45-30.

New Mexico posted 20 assists for just the fourth time this season and kept the turnovers under 10 with eight, marking just the third time this season the Lobos have kept turnovers under 10. UNM scored 14 points off of CSU’s 13 turnovers while CSU was able to get just six.

Wednesday’s game marked the final contest of the regular season. The Lobos will await seeding information to determine the date and time of its next contest. The 2021 Mountain West Tournament is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 10.

Postgame Notes

• The Lobos still lead the series over Colorado State, 78-48
• Colorado maintains its advantage in Fort Collins and is now 35-25 over the Lobos on its home turf.

TEAM NOTES:

• The Lobos featured a new lineup, going a significantly smaller route. New Mexico started freshman Isaiah Marin, junior Saquan Singleton, senior Makuach Maluach, sophomore Jeremiah Francis III and freshman Javonté Johnson.
• Four of UNM’s 10 men on the court were walkons.
  • Prior to Wednesday’s game, the foursome had combined for 75 points on the season.
  • They combined for 40 on Wednesday night.
• New Mexico registered 20 assists for just the fourth time this season.
• UNM kept control of the ball, finishing with less than 10 turnovers for just the third time this season (8).
• The Lobos’ 73 points ties for the second-most points against an NCAA Division I team this season.
  • UNM scored 74 points against Nevada and Wyoming and 73 in its win against Air Force.
• Colorado State dominated the paint and the boards
  • CSU outscored UNM 46-30 in the paint
  • CSU outrebounded UNM 45-30

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

• Senior Makuach Maluach led the Lobos with 20 points and eight rebounds on the night.
  • Maluach has posted four straight 20+ point games and six this season.
  • The contest also marks his 61st double-digit scoring game of his career, 17th of the season.
  • He now posts 1,292 career points, ranking 17th in Lobo all-time scoring history.
  • Maluach passed former Lobo greats Elijah Brown (1,276) and Francis Grant (1,282).
• Maluach started his 77th straight career contest on the night while competing in his 120th career game.
• Freshman Eloy Medina registered his first collegiate points on the night with a pair of made baskets from behind the arc.
• Sophomore Jeremiah Francis III matched his season-best 10 points on the night.
  • He played the most minutes of anyone on the court (35) and posted 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals while going 3-for-9 from the floor, 1-for-2 from deep and 3-for-4 from the stripe.
• Junior Saquan Singleton added five points, five rebounds and a team-most five assists on the night.