01.12.08.SDSU.at.UNM

The SCORE
The Sandoval County Online Reporting Enterprise
Rio Rancho, N.M.
New Mexico's first totally online commuity newspaper was last updated on Monday, May 16, 2009 at 10 p.m.

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Lobos fall to San Diego State

Poor 2nd half dooms New Mexico

By Eric Maddy
The Score

It was the pits in The Pit on Saturday night.

After building a 14-point lead in the first half, the University of New Mexico Lobos dropped their first home game of the season, a 72-67 decision to San Diego State before 17,464 fans.

The Aztecs made 11 of 12 free throws down the stretch to hold on to win despite a late rally by UNM.

The Lobos, who came into the game the winners of seven straight games, were 1-0 in the conference, 10-0 at home and riding after road victories at Hawaii, UTEP (in overtime) and Wyoming (in double overtime). Playing their first game at home since a 30-point win two days before Christmas over Weber State, a season-high crowd of 17,464 fans on "Pack The Pit" night had early dreams of glory turn into nightmares of agony as the cold-shooting Lobos managed just 15 points in the first 16 minutes of the second half.

The crowd tried to help the Lobos rally from a 10-point deficit in the final four minutes. UNM got within three with 34 seconds left, but the Aztecs continued to make their free throws down the stretch to seal the victory. In all, SDSU sank 13-of-14 free throws in the final 1:10 despite coming into the game as the last-place team in the league from the charity stripe.

"I think free throw shooting an be contagous," winning coach Steve Fisher said. "When Matt made that first critical one-and-one, I think it helped us on the next one. We stepped up. That's pretty good hard-nosed something."

SDSU was leading by eight with 70 seconds left after two SDSU free throws by Matt Thomas, but J.R. Giddens' old-fashioned three-point play narrowed the gap to five points.

Two more Thomas free throws extended the lead to seven, but Chad Toppert hit a three-pointer to close the margin to four.

But again SDSU hit free throws, with Kyle Spain making two. Jamaal Smith hit a three to narrow the gap with 35 seconds left, but Lorenzo Wade made the lead five with two charity shots with 33.3 seconds left.

After Toppert missed a three-pointer from the corner, Thomas made two more free throws. Smith made one free throwwith 14.7 seconds left after being fouled on a drive for UNM, leaving the margin at six.

Thomas made one-of-two free throws for SDSU. The Aztecs then conceded a Lobo layup and gave up a tip-in basket after a turnover. Spain made two free throws for the final margin.

UNM, which had balanced scoring all year, had only one player in double figures - Giddens with 24. By contrast, SDSU had three players top 10 points - Wade with 23, Spain with 13 and D.J. Gay with 12.

SDSU, outrebounded by 16 in a mid-week loss to Northern Colorado, beat the Lobos on the boards 45-34.

"I think they had eight or nine second-chance offensive rebounds," UNM coach Steve Alford said. "Your defense can't give up tht many offensive rebounds, especially on a night when you're not shooting that well."

Both teams ended up shooting 41.7 percent for the game (25-for-60), and UNM had one more three-pointer, but SDSU was 16-for-21 from the line compared to 10-of-20 for UNM.

Neither team shot well in the first half. UNM was 12-of-30 from the field (40 perent) and SDSU was 11-of-33 (33 percent). But SDSU got hotter in the final 20 minutes, making 14-of-27 shots (51.9 percent) compared to 13-of-30 (43.3) for UNM.

UNM held San Diego State scoreless for nearly four minutes to open the game and built a 24-10 lead at one point before the Aztecs rallied within four with 2:53 remaining before intermission.

Daniel Ferris' left-handed jumper just inside the 3-point arc at the buzzer moved the margin back to eight.

Now the Lobos must regroup and prepare for a trip to Fort Worth to play TCU on Tuesday.

"The atmosphere was great. The fans were terrific The guys played hard. Both teams played hard," Alford said. "It's too bad we couldn't come back home and have a good win. We've just got to rebound here and try to g back out on the road and get one."