Lobos Light Up Scoreboard in 122-70 Win Over Western New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico men’s basketball team posted its largest margin of victory in six years with a 122-70 win over Western New Mexico on Saturday evening at The Pit. The Lobos (8-3) scored their most points in seven years as they downed the Mustangs (2-7).
The Lobos set highs in the Richard Pitino era with 122 points, 62 points in a half (second), .667 field goal percentage in a half (second), 52-point margin of victory, 47 field goals, 31 assists and 74 bench points.
Freshman Jovan Milicevic had a game-high 21 points off the bench, recording his first career double-figure game to lead the Lobos. Braden Appelhans had a career-high 18 points, while Filip Borovicanin scored a career-high 13 points. Tru Washington had 12 points and Donovan Dent had 11 points to round out five double-figure scorers. Atiki Ally Atiki had a season-high 10 rebounds to lead UNM on the boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lobos opened the game on a 6-0 run over the opening two minutes. The Mustangs’ early success behind the arc tied the game, 12-12, with 15:30 left in the half. The Lobos used a 6-0 run to take a 33-22 lead at the midway point of the half. Another 6-0 run extended the UNM lead to 45-28 with 5:20 left in the half. The Lobos had a 9-0 run to push the margin to 57-33 with 2:55 left in the half before taking a 60-37 lead into the break, their largest halftime lead of the season. Appelhans had 12 first-half points to lead New Mexico.
In the second half, an early 9-1 Lobo run pushed the advantage to 74-49 with 15:40 left in the game. A 22-0 UNM run made the score 98-54 with 9:15 left to play. New Mexico used an 8-0 run to hold a 106-59 lead with 5:55 left to play. The Lobos held a 50-point lead, 117-67, with 2:00 to play before closing out the 52-point victory.
LOBO NOTES
• The Lobos’ 122 points were most by a Mountain West team in three seasons (UNLV scored 126 vs. Life Pacific in 2022-23)
• New Mexico’s 60 first-half points were its most at halftime in seven years (74 vs. Northern New Mexico in the 2017-18 season opener)
• UNM’s 22-0 run was the biggest run of the Pitino era (previous high was 20-0 vs. Eastern New Mexico last season and Western New Mexico in 2022-23)
• The Lobos’ 31 assists mark just the second time this century that UNM has had a 30-assist game (school record 40 vs. Northern New Mexico in 2017-18 opener)
• Milicevic is the first Lobo to have a 20-point game off the bench since Tru Washington vs. New Mexico State last season
• The Lobos had three players score double figures off the bench in a game for the first time since 2022-23 (also against Western New Mexico – Dent, KJ Jenkins, Birima Seck)
• Appelhans became the first Lobo to make 5 3-pointers off the bench since 2021-22 (KJ Jenkins [5] at Colorado State)
QUOTABLE
“Obviously it was a good win. The last time in this building was a devastating loss. We just got back to work. We had some early morning practices all week. Credit to our guys for understanding we need to work and get better. The best part of the game was to be able to play the bench and a lot of new guys got some valuable minutes. I don’t want to move on from New Mexico State. I want them to remember it and for it to motivate us, because our fans deserve that. We will go back to work tomorrow and prepare for a really good VCU team.” – Richard Pitino
UP NEXT
New Mexico will conclude its non-conference schedule Wednesday by hosting VCU. The Rams (No. 40) will be the first top-50 KenPom opponent to visit The Pit in the non-conference in seven years. Tip-off for that game is 7:00 p.m. and tickets are on sale at GoLobos.com/tickets.