by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
With a 13-point lead at halftime, it seemed like the UNM men's basketball team was about to coast to another blowout victory.
However, the New Mexico State Aggies came out swinging in the second half and had the Lobos teetering, but they couldn't deliver the knockout blow.
UNM held on for a 79-76 victory in its toughest game of the season Tuesday in front of 18,018 fans at The Pit. With the win, the Lobos improved to 5-0.
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UNM head coach Ritchie McKay said the Lobos needed the close contest.
"We've yet to be challenged over 40 minutes like that since the season started," he said. "Overall, I think it was healthy for our team. I like the way we fought through some adversity."
After UNM's J.R. Giddens missed two free throws with five seconds left in the game, NMSU's Jonathan Gibson got off a 3-point attempt that bounced off the rim as time expired.
The Lobos led by as much as 16 points in the first half, their biggest lead of the game, thanks to accurate shooting - especially from behind the 3-point line.
UNM converted 67 percent of its field goals in the first half and went 6-of-10 from behind the arc to build a 44-31 lead at the break.
However, the Aggies kept fighting back and used a 22-11 run to pull within two points at 55-53 with 10:30 left in the game. The teams went back and forth the rest of the night, but the Aggies never tied the game or took the lead.
Giddens did not have his most accurate game from the field, but he led the team with 19 points on 7-of-19 shooting. He also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists.
Darren Prentice had a strong performance off the bench for the Lobos, contributing with 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Prentice connected on 3-of-4 3-point attempts.
UNM forward Aaron Johnson said he was proud of how Prentice played against the rival Aggies.
"Give a round of applause for Darren Prentice," Johnson said. "That's how you win games like that. That's how you become an elite team - you have people that come off the bench that are stars."
Prentice said he was ready for the opportunity to help win a big game.
"This team has a lot of weapons, and tonight it was just my time to step up," he said. "I'm just glad that we came out with a 'W.'"
Johnson had a solid game as well, finishing with another double-double after grabbing 14 rebounds and chipping in 10 points.
The Lobos also got double-digit performances from Tony Danridge and Jamaal Smith, who scored 15 points apiece.
NMSU rallied back in the second half by pounding the ball inside, which resulted in the Aggies outscoring the Lobos 40-24 inside the paint.
Justin Hawkins led the Aggies with 23 points.
NMSU's Martin Iti added 14 on 7-of-9 shooting.
What killed the Aggies was free-throw shooting and missed layups.
NMSU could not convert several
opportunities right under the basket and finished just 12-of-28 from the free-throw line.
Johnson, who transferred from Penn State to UNM last season, said he was glad to be a part of the much-anticipated game.
"This rivalry is tremendous," he said. "They're a great team. They fight hard. I'm just privileged to be a part of it. It was a great game, and I'm just glad we got the (win)."
Colin Bridge / Daily Lobo
UNM forward Tony Dandridge dribbles down court during Tuesday's game against NMSU at The Pit. The Lobos won 79-76.
