A thriller at The Pit went in favor of New Mexico, as the Lobos knocked off UNLV, 65-60, in their conference opener.
No. 25 New Mexico holds on for 65-60 win over No. 24 UNLV
Clutch play down the stretch gave New Mexico the victory.
USA TODAY Sports
UNLV had two possessions with under 20 seconds remaining to try to tie the game but failed to score on either.
A huge first half for sophomore Alex Kirk put New Mexico ahead, 34-30, at the break. Over the first 20 minutes, Kirk had 16 points and 5 rebounds. He finished the game with 23 points and 9 rebounds.
New Mexico was able to capitalize on foul trouble by UNLV’s Anthony Bennett. The talented freshman, who finished with four fouls, spent a large portion of the game on the bench and scored just 12 points.
With the win, New Mexico bounced back from a 60-46 loss at Saint Louis on New Year’s Eve. Despite having nine days between games, Steve Alford’s crew showed little rust.
The Lobos will turn their attention to Fresno State on Saturday. Meanwhile, UNLV will try again for its first Mountain West Conference win when it plays Air Force on that same day.
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