Senior guard Hugh Greenwood scored a team-high 22 points and hit a career-high six 3-pointers to lead the Lobos in a win at Utah State 66-60 on Saturday. That win followed a 56-42 loss at San Diego State last Tuesday.
“It was a great game (Saturday),” head coach Craig Neal said. “A great win for our guys to have to go through some adversity, where we could have really easily went the other way, but I was really proud of our guys.”
Greenwood and fellow senior guard Deshawn Delaney were on point all night in Logan, Utah. Greenwood didn’t attempt to shot until a 3-point basket came with 5:41 left in the first half. He connected on six of his 11 3-point attempts.
Delaney wasted no time as he scored the Lobos’ first seven points and finished the game with 15 points (7 of 12 shooting), six rebounds and two assists. All seven of his field goals were either dunks or layups. Delaney had a combined seven points in the Lobos’ previous two outings before Utah State.
After an Arthur Edwards floater in the lane, the Lobos didn’t see the ball go in the bucket for another 5:30 until Greenwood knocked down a deep 3-pointer to put the Lobos up 52-46 in the second half.
The Lobos (11-5, 3-1 MW) couldn’t find an answer late for Aggie guard Jalen Moore as he finished the game with a team-high 22 points to go along with six rebounds. He combined for 14 of the Aggies’ final 27 points in Saturday’s loss.
Aggie David Collette’s fifth personal foul with 1:35 left in the second half put Lobo sophomore center Obij Aget at the free-throw line, where he connected on both shots.
Immediately after Collette drew his final foul, the Aggie bench erupted in dismay over the call, which elicited a technical foul from the referees. Greenwood sunk both foul shots to put the Lobos up 62-60.
“We had some mental slip-ups, but obviously they had the biggest one getting that technical foul and allowing us to make free throws,” Greenwood said. “It’s just huge for us to come out of this week with a split and get to go home for two at home now.”
All momentum that the Aggies (9-7, 2-2 Mountain West) had built up to give them a 60-58 lead — their first since the 5:41 mark in the first half — seemed to have vanished with the sound of one extra whistle. The Lobos went on a late four-point run to seal the win on the road.
UNM outrebounded USU 36-22, which included a 14-4 edge on the offensive glass. The Lobo bench also outscored the Aggie bench 13-2 behind junior center J.J. N’Ganga’s eight points.
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N’Ganga had his most efficient game as a Lobo on Saturday night, not only on the offensive end but also in rebounding. He chipped in a team-high seven rebounds also.
For the third consecutive season, the Lobos have won at least three of their four MW opening games.
Kyle Tomasi is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @KyTo22.
