The fall term may be over, but the UNM men's basketball team took New Mexico State University to school Sunday in The Pit, breaking open a one-point halftime lead into a 70-49 blowout win.
The Lobos (6-3) used a 17-4 run to begin the second half and held the Aggies (4-4) to 29 percent shooting for the game, while getting solid contributions from their post players to hand head coach Fran Fraschilla his first sweep of New Mexico State.
"I thought our defense was the key to the game," Fraschilla said. "(The Aggies) shot 29 percent and had 20 turnovers, and when you do that to a good team like New Mexico State you have a chance to win the game."
Lobo guard Eric Chatfield once again shut down Aggie star Eric Channing, holding him to four points in 27 minutes. Freshman post Chad Bell and junior college transfer Moustapha Diagne combined for 14 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks, while continuously frustrating the Aggies' post players.
"What I've mentioned is (Diagne's) size and presence inside affects games," Fraschilla said. "Chad's does too, and that's why these guys are very effective inside. They're not great players, but they know enough about the game that they can bother people."
The Lobos took an early 12-3 lead after hitting three of their first five shot attempts.
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Marlon Parmer's two freethrows with 10:09 remaining in the first half put the Lobos up 18-9, but they'd only manage eight points the rest of the half, as the Aggies battled back to tie the score at 23, then to eventually take a 25-23 lead.
A monstrous Diagne dunk and one free throw by guard Ruben Douglas gave UNM a 26-25 lead going into halftime, and it was a lead the Lobos would not relinquish.
The stingy UNM defense forced eight turnovers in the first 8:45 of the second half, which enabled the Lobos to race out to a 43-29 lead.
With 8:30 to play, NMSU head coach Lou Henson was slapped with a technical foul when he protested a foul called on James Moore. Then, just 19 seconds later, he picked up his second technical and had to be escorted out by security while stopping to glare at fans in the west end of The Pit.
"I deserved the first one," Henson said. "I said nothing on the second one."
Nevertheless, the damage had been done.
Tim Lightfoot sank four technical foul free throws to give the Lobos their biggest lead at 53-33 and the Aggies could not put together an effective rally.
The final margin might have been greater had it not been for 15 missed free throws by the Lobos on 41 attempts. Bell had 14 attempts and missed seven while Chatfield was a near perfect five-of-six at the line. Chatfield led UNM with 12 points and Douglas and Patrick Dennehy each pitched in 10 points.
The Aggies did manage to neutralize UNM point guard Marlon Parmer, who had victimized them with 22 points, six assists and 11 rebounds in the two teams' last meeting. He finished with eight points and three assists Sunday.
UNM shot a cool 28 percent from the field in the first half, but posted a 53 percent average in the second half on 15-of-28 shooting, while the Aggies connected on just 14 of their 47 shot attempts and were five-of-17 in the second half.
Bell, who had nine points and four blocks to go along with three offensive rebounds, said he thought the game was perhaps the Lobos' most balanced performance this season and said he feels like he is finally easing into his role.
"We're nine games into the season, so I feel more comfortable out there," Bell said. "I just try to go out there, play hard and do my job."
The Lobos' next game is next Saturday, when the University of North Carolina at Greensboro pays a visit to The Pit for a 1 p.m. matchup.
