In a one point game with 4:47 left in the first half, shades of 2010 seemed to come back to haunt the men’s basketball team.
Fifth-seeded UNM lost to fourth-seeded Louisville 59-56 in the third round of the NCAA tournament in Portland, Ore.
Two years ago, Lobo captain Dairese Gary suffered a torn ACL injury against BYU in the seminfinals of the MWC tournament.
Saturday, Gordon went down with a similar injury after senior forward A.J. Hardeman fell on the 6-foot 9-inch forward.
Gordon returned to finish with his 19th double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds but the Lobos failed to make the sweet sixteen once again — a feat they’ve never accomplished.
The Lobos trailed by just one point at the intermission, but the Cardinals exploded offensively to take a commanding 15-point lead after a Chris Smith three-pointer with 13:03 left in the game.
The Lobos slowly clawed back into the game and cut the lead to two points with 1:36 left in the game after Demetrius Walker hit a 3-pointer from the baseline.
But Louisvilee’s Payton Siva closed out the show with his assist that led to a Gorgui Dieng dunk and two clutch free throws.
Siva was held in check for most of the game by the Lobos as he finished with six points and six assists.
Besided Gordon, Sophomore guard Kendall Williams was the only other Lobo in double figures with 11 points off of 5-of-11 shooting.
Sophomore guard Tony Snell had another sub-par performance making just 1-of-5 shots from the field for three points.
Louisville sophomre guard Russ Smith came off the benth to lead the Cardinals with 17 points, but made just 5-of-12 shots.
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The Cardinal bench outscored the Lobos’ bench 19-13.
UNM made 23-of-58 from the field for 39.7 percent. The Cardinals shot 45.8 percent from the field making 22-of-48.
Louisville controlled the glass as it rebounded UNM 34-23.
The Lobos were the lone member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA tournament to make the third round this season. UNLV, Colorado State and San Diego State all lost in the second round.
