Mathis, Logwood key to Lobos’ win over Utah State
ALBUQUERQUE — Anthony Mathis spent so much time on the bench the last two years that it’s almost surprising he knew what to do when checking into a game.
Now a junior with The University of New Mexico’s men’s basketball team, the 6-foot-3 shooting guard has emerged as the team’s most consistent offensive threat and one of the most reliable 3-point shooters in the Mountain West Conference.
He matched his career-high with 25 points in Wednesday night’s 78-63 win over Utah State in The Pit, hitting seven 3-pointers and raising his scoring average to a team-best 12.9 per game.
If only he could do something about that defense.
“His defense has gone from an F to about a … C-plus,” said head coach Paul Weir, pausing for reflection as he considered that elevated grade. “It’s been the difference, you know? At the beginning of the year, even when I first got here, the poor kid just couldn’t guard and now he’s out there doing stuff. Guys just aren’t ripping and scoring on him or making plays. He’s getting steals, takes charges, gets rebounds.”
With the game tied at 52 with nine minutes remain-
ing, a decisive 11-0 run helped the Lobos (13-14, 8-6) pull away down the stretch. That run started with a dunk by Makuach Maluach but was finished off by a trio of 3-pointers from Mathis in a 67-second span.
While he shrugged off his offensive numbers, Mathis did address his coach’s take on his D.
“C-plus is a little generous,” he said. “Probably a C-minus. Still got a lot of work to do.”
Regardless, the Lobos did just enough to get the win and stay alive for a top-five seed in the MWC race. The top five teams get byes past the first round of the conference tournament and a win at home over Utah State was a make-or-break scenario for a team that lost a pair of ugly games just before this one.
It helped to get an emotional yet productive night out of senior power forward Sam Logwood. He finished with 10 points, getting six of them on ferocious dunks in the second half. At one point, he and a player or two from Utah State exchanged words, prompting one of the referees to enter the New Mexico team huddle during a timeout and address Logwood personally about keeping things in check.
Weir said it was his senior’s best game of the season.
“The little lulls that I’ve had this season, I’ve learned a lot about myself in areas that I can improve,” Logwood said. “That’s one area that I felt like I could improve the most, is just kind of not letting the emotion of the game get to me.”
He was one of four players in double figures, joining Maluach (16) and Chris McNeal (10). It offset a career night by Utah State guard Sam Merrill. He made 11 of 16 shots and finished with a game-high 33 points.
The Aggies (14-13, 7-7) never got closer than eight points after that Lobo run. The Lobos put it away with 1:30 left when Antino Jackson stole the ball in the far court and passed it ahead to Logwood for a monster dunk at the other end to open a 73-63 lead.
As exciting as the dunks and Mathis’s 3-point shots were, Weir said the simple formula for a successful night is all about being as vanilla as possible when the Lobos have the ball.
“Offense for us just has to be boring,” Weir said. “Move the ball. Pass, cut, dribble, attack. Spacing. I thought we had some great possessions. The ball just got moved and moved and moved, then someone scored on a layup or dunk backdoor, whatever. And that’s the way I like basketball, man. I just love team, fundamental-oriented basketball and it’s fun to watch when you’re doing it.”
LOBO NOTES
Wyoming’s loss at San Diego State leaves UNM alone in fifth place in the MWC standings, half a game behind third place UNLV and Fresno State. … Wednesday’s crowd was listed at just 9,737. … All 10 scholarship players saw action, the first time that has happened in over a month. All but one played at least 10 minutes and only one, Mathis, had as many as 30. … Point guard Antino Jackson had one of his worst games of the season, going 1-for-9 shooting with three points. He did, however, have five turnovers and six rebounds with three steals. … Dane Kuiper finally shot the ball well, making 3 of 5 attempts to finish with seven points. He made one of his two 3-point tries.
DAVIE
The university’s board of regents will convene in a special session within the next 72 hours to cast a vote regarding head football coach Bob Davie’s 30-day unpaid suspension.
The board initially voted in favor of not hearing the appeal during Tuesday’s regents meeting, clearing the way for the suspension to begin. A spokeswoman with the university confirmed Thursday afternoon that the vote, which was conducted during executive session and not announced at any point during the three-hour meeting, violated the state’s open meetings act. Policy states that the vote be done in an open session.
The board will decide will meet again in a special session, upon which time they must have quorum to have the process become official.
Until then, Davie is free to coach the team as it continues with its annual spring practices.
LOBO WOMEN
Five players finished in double figures as UNM won its second straight and fourth in five games with a 74-50 win at Utah State on Wednesday night. Tech Buck and Laneah Bryan each had 13 points to lead the Lobos (20-7, 8-6), who became the first team in the Mountain West to win 20 games.
UNM controlled the glass, holding a 44-30 edge that led 22 second-chance points. The Lobos led 16-8 after one quarter and never trailed the rest of the way.
Jaisa Nunn had 12 points and eight rebounds, equalling Cherise Beynon and N’Dea Flye for the team-high on the glass.
This is the 13th time in UNM history the team has won at least 20 games, but just the second time in the last nine years.