by Brandon Call
Daily Lobo
Despite a lackluster offensive effort, the UNM men's basketball team relied on its defense to top Southern Utah 57-48 on Wednesday at The Pit.
The Lobos remain unbeaten at 7-0, the best start for UNM since the 1998-99 season.
"I'm pleased with what we did defensively," head coach Steve Alford said. "To shoot the way we did tonight and still be able to win - that's the most important thing."
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The Lobos came into the contest ranked fifth in the nation in 3-point shooting at 48 percent. UNM also averaged 10.8 threes per game.
However, the Lobos were just 3-for-24 from behind the arc, shooting a mere 12.5 percent.
With the poor shooting from the outside, the Lobos were forced to rely on the post players for points. Junior forward Daniel Faris paced UNM offensively early in the first half with eight points.
"When the three is not going in, you've got to keep attacking the basket," Alford said. "I thought we did a good job in the first half of staying with them and getting the ball inside where we were making the shots."
In the first half, the Lobos jumped out to a 12-3 lead. The Thunderbirds battled back to tie the game at 19, before ending the half even at 23.
Southern Utah kept the game close for 10 minutes in the second half, before senior guard J.R. Giddens took control. Giddens scored eight points to help UNM pull away with an 18-4 run late in the second half.
Alford said he was more pleased with Giddens' defense.
"To hold (Southern Utah's Geoff) Payne to just nine points and no rebounds, I credit that to J.R. Giddens," Alford said. "Payne came in averaging 22 points and 7.5 rebounds. In all 34 minutes that J.R. played, he was guarding Payne. J.R. really matured defensively tonight."
Giddens finished with a game-high 14 points. Giddens also posted a game-high nine rebounds and a career high in assists with six.
Faris chipped in 10 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field. Senior guard Jamaal Smith added nine points.
Senior guard Darren Prentice had five assists on the night, bringing his season total to 31. The senior has also not committed a turnover in the last 128 minutes played.
"I just try and take care of the ball when I'm on the floor," Prentice said. "As for the assists, I attribute those to my teammates knocking down the shots off the pass."
Men's basketball at Mississippi
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Oxford, Miss.
