Strong Second Half Lifts Lobos to 80-58 Win Over Grambling State
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico men’s basketball team remained unbeaten at home this season with an 80-58 victory over reigning SWAC champion Grambling State on Thursday night at The Pit. The Lobos (4-1) opened the second half on a 19-2 run to break open a four-point game at the break, while the Tigers (1-3) dropped their third straight, including a two-point loss at No. 24 Ole Miss.
Donovan Dent led the Lobos with 22 points and eight assists. Tru Washington scored 15 points and matched a career high with five steals. Mustapha Amzil just missed a double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers got off to a fast start, leading 8-2 after four minutes of action and held a 10-7 lead after eight minutes. The Lobos used a 6-0 run to take their first lead, 13-12, with 9:30 left in the half. UNM would push the margin to 22-16 with 5:30 left in the half and led 26-20 with 3:10 to go in the half. The Lobos would lead by as many as seven in the final minute before taking a 30-26 lead into the break. Washington had eight points to lead UNM in the first half.
The Lobos opened the second half on an 11-0 run to take a 41-26 lead with 16:15 left. The margin would grow to 49-28 after seven minutes as the UNM run to start the half was pushed to 19-2. New Mexico led 52-36 at the midway point of the half before the Tigers used a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 52-41 with 9:00 left. An 8-0 Lobo run pushed the lead to 60-41 with 6:30 to go before a late 12-1 run gave UNM its largest lead of 24 with a minute to play.
LOBO NOTES
• The Lobos had 14 steals, their fourth game of double-figure steals this season
• Dent remains one of just two players in the nation to have at least 12 points and six assists in every game this season (Elliot Cadeau of North Carolina)
• The Tigers’ six-point lead in the first half was the largest deficit that UNM has overcome this season to win
• New Mexico has won 22 straight regular-season non-conference games at The Pit
• CJ Noland made his first start of the season, the first change to the starting lineup for UNM this year
QUOTABLE
“We were a little bit flat in the first half. In the second half, we were way more business-like in our approach. There was a little bit of an emotional letdown coming off the St. John’s game in Madison Square Garden. We have to be more ready than that. We turned the ball over early and that was killing us. When we stopped turning the ball over, we started scoring. Then our defense in the second half was terrific.” – Richard Pitino
UP NEXT
The Lobos conclude the two-game homestand on Sunday by hosting another SWAC foe, preseason runner-up Texas Southern. Game time is 6 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network. Tickets are on sale now at GoLobos.com/tickets.