New Mexico Downed by SMU 90-72
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico men’s basketball team suffered a 90-72 loss to SMU on Sunday afternoon at The Pit. The Mustangs (9-3) held off the Lobos (6-6) during the second half to record their sixth straight win.
Jamal Mashburn, Jr. scored 25 points to lead the Lobos, his fourth game of at least 25 points this season. Jaelen House had 16 points and matched a career high with seven assists while K.J. Jenkins added 10 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SMU opened the game strong and took advantage of cold shooting by the Lobos to take a 19-7 lead with 12:30 left in the half. The Mustangs would push the lead to as many as many as 15 before the teams traded runs at the end of the half. The Lobos used a 7-0 run to close within eight before SMU ended the half on a 10-2 run to take a 46-30 advantage at halftime. House and Mashburn each had nine points to lead the Lobos in the first half.
In the second half, the Lobos closed the margin to eight at 53-45 with 14:15 to play after a deadball contact technical on the Mustangs was part of a 9-1 Lobo run. SMU answered with a 9-0 run to push the lead back to 62-45 with 11:40 to play. New Mexico responded with a 7-0 run of its own to make the score 62-52 at the midway point of the second half. The Lobos would get within nine at 77-68 with 4:10 to play before the Mustangs closed out the game on a 7-0 run to seal the 90-72 win.
LOBO NOTES
• Jamal Mashburn, Jr. scored in double figures for the 11th time this season
• Mashburn had his sixth 20-point game of the season
• Jaelen House scored in double figures for the seventh time this season
• House tied a career high with seven assists
• KJ Jenkins scored in double figured for the fifth time this season (third straight game)
• Sebastian Forsling made his second start of the season
• Emmanuel Kuac returned after missing the last three games due to injury
• The Lobos fell to 0-6 this season when scoring under 80 points (6-0 when scoring at least 80)
• The 16-point halftime deficit was the Lobos’ largest of the season
QUOTABLE
“SMU is a very good team. I think they are a NCAA Tournament team and they have veterans, 1,000-point scorers, seniors, they are old. We still cannot find a way to get a stop when we need to. We cut it to eight or nine in the second half a couple of time and couldn’t get a stop. I love the fight in the second half, but give SMU credit, they are where we want to be in a couple of years.” – Head Coach Richard Pitino
UP NEXT
The Lobos conclude their non-conference schedule on Tuesday as they host Norfolk State. Game time at The Pit is 7 p.m. The Spartans are the second of two first-time opponents on the Lobos’ schedule (Florida Atlantic).