Field Level Media
Jan 5, 2019
Senior guard Anthony Mathis scored a career-best 27 points and also had six rebounds and five assists as New Mexico handed No. 6 Nevada its first blemish of the season by producing an 85-58 victory in Mountain West Conference play on Saturday night at Albuquerque, N.M.
Sophomore forward Vance Jackson added 18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals as New Mexico (8-6, 2-0) won its third straight game. Sophomore swingman Makuach Maluach recorded 14 points as the Lobos defeated a top 10 team for the first time since beating No. 6 San Diego State 58-44 on Feb. 22, 2014.
Senior power forward Jordan Caroline had 17 points and eight rebounds for Nevada (14-1, 1-1), which began the day as one of four unbeaten teams in the nation.
Wolf Pack standout senior guard Caleb Martin was held to eight points. He was 2 of 14 from the field -- including 1 of 7 from 3-point range -- and 3 of 6 from the free-throw line.
The Wolf Pack shot just 33.3 percent from the field and were 4 of 22 from 3-point range. Nevada was just 16 of 27 from the free throw line and committed 14 turnovers.
The Lobos shot 45.6 percent from the field, including 11 of 29 from behind the arc, and committed just nine turnovers. New Mexico was 12 of 16 from the free throw line and held a 47-37 rebounding advantage.
Nevada's largest deficit was 29, but the squad didn't perform a magical comeback this time. The Wolf Pack trailed by 25 points with 11 minutes remaining in their most-recent visit to Albuquerque before rallying for a 105-104 overtime win on Jan. 7, 2017.
The Wolf Pack trimmed a 12-point halftime deficit to 40-31 on Caroline's two free throws with 17:04 left in the contest, but New Mexico answered with six straight points to make it a 15-point margin.
Maluach later drained a 3-pointer as part of a 9-0 burst that pushed New Mexico's lead to 68-45 with 6:54 remaining.
Maluach and Jackson connected on 3-pointers to push the lead to 74-48 with 5:40 remaining.
Mathis buried his fifth 3-pointer to make it 83-54 with 2:25 left, and the Lobos cruised to the finish.
Mathis scored 10 first-half points as New Mexico held a 38-26 lead at the break.
The Lobos used a 13-2 spurt to take a 19-7 advantage just 9 1/2 minutes into the contest.
New Mexico stretched its lead to 33-18 on a 3-pointer by Mathis with 2:27 left.
--Field Level Media