Home › Sports › LoboZone
UNM Men's Basketball: Lobos Blow Huge Lead in 65-57 loss to Air Force
New Mexico led by 21 points in the first half but crumbled thanks to Air Force's 28-3 run in the second.
RELATED STORIES
- Richard Stevens: Faith in McKay's program slipping
- Men's basketball: Air Force's teamwork has coaches mesmerized
Related Links
More LoboZone
- Richard Stevens: Faces I'll remember are the smallest ones
- Michael Garcia: Here's to you, athletes, coaches and friends. These memories - and lessons - will last forever.
- Tribune sports: Five faves
MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES
-
ABQTrib.com to remain available
08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008 -
Congressman is indicted
08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Series of attacks target Green Zone
08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Iran is defying U.N., agency says
08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Waterboarding approval probed
08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008
TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*
- Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
- Is Rome Burning?
- Ominous Skies
- The Road to Invalidation
- Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.
STORY TOOLS
SHARE THIS STORY [?]
RELATED STORIES
- Richard Stevens: Faith in McKay's program slipping
- Men's basketball: Air Force's teamwork has coaches mesmerized
Related Links
More LoboZone
- Richard Stevens: Faces I'll remember are the smallest ones
- Michael Garcia: Here's to you, athletes, coaches and friends. These memories - and lessons - will last forever.
- Tribune sports: Five faves
MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES
-
ABQTrib.com to remain available
08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008 -
Congressman is indicted
08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Series of attacks target Green Zone
08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Iran is defying U.N., agency says
08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Waterboarding approval probed
08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008
TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*
- Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
- Is Rome Burning?
- Ominous Skies
- The Road to Invalidation
- Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.
STORY TOOLS
SHARE THIS STORY [?]
COLORADO SPRINGS — For 20 minutes, this looked like the win that could dissolve the disappointment of Albuquerque fans.
Then cue the meltdown.
The University of New Mexico men's basketball team blew a 21-point lead in its 65-57 loss Tuesday to No. 16 Air Force. This was UNM's (11-7, 0-3 in Mountain West Conference) fourth consecutive loss.
The record announced crowd of 6,511 in Clune Arena saw the Falcons start the second half on a 28-3 run, sucking the life out of a New Mexico team that played a remarkable first half.
The handful of Lobos fans in Colorado Springs had reason to rejoice as UNM held a 39-24 halftime lead on an impressive 70 percent shooting (16-of-23). The lead ballooned to 37-16 with 2:58 left in the first.
But while UNM made one of its first 13 shots in the second half, the Falcons were busy taking a 52-42 lead by the end of the run. UNM guard Tony Danridge finally stopped AFA's surge with a jumper with 5:43 left, UNM's second field goal of the half by that point. The Lobos and the Falcons finished the game shooting 51 percent.
All the while, guard J.R. Giddens was on the bench in jeans and a red-collared shirt, nursing his left ankle sprain. Air Force outscored the Lobos 41-18 in the second half.
"There's no excuse," said Danridge, who finished with 15 points. "We should have locked down and made some shots (in the second half). It's pretty devastating, but my team executed the whole game."
Filling Giddens' role of top scorer was no problem for guard Darren Prentice, who finished with a career-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Air Force forward Dan Nwaelele led the Falcons with 22 points, and guard Matt McCraw added 21 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Air Force made 21 of their 23 free-throw attempts, galaxies better than UNM's 3-of-9 outing. The Lobos were 1-of-5 from the line during Air Force's big run.
Numerous Falcons had no problems scoring on UNM's small second-half lineup that included 5-foot-9 Jamaal Smith, 6-1 Prentice and Ryan Kersten, 6-5 Danridge and 6-6 Chad Toppert -- all guards.
Air Force guard Jacob Burtschi said he couldn't imagine another team making a 28-3 run on the Falcons.
"I understand teams go on runs, but 28-3, that's a kick in the butt," Burtschi said. "I can't believe it had to come to that for us to win, but New Mexico played us tough and they really attacked us in the first half."
The loss marks the first time since the 1979-80 season the Lobos begin conference play 0-3.
The Falcons, extending their winning streak to 12 games, tied their season low for lowest point total in a half. Air Force scored 24 points in the first half of a November loss to Duke, its only loss of the season.
Danridge and Prentice led the Lobos' first-half charge, combining for 21 points. The Lobos were 16 of their first 21 before missing the last two shots of the half.
"We're making strides," Danridge said. "Even though we lost, it's a learning experience."
