LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The UNM men's basketball team scored a 66-64 knockout in round one of its annual two-game battle with New Mexico State University Wednesday night, using a counterpunch in the form of guards Marlon Parmer and Senque Carey.
The Aggies could not stop Parmer from slashing his way inside for 14 second-half points after taking a 35-30 halftime lead, and Carey hit three timely 3-pointers as he and Parmer combined for 23 of the Lobos' 36 points in the period.
"I just tried to step up and help my team," Parmer said of his second half heroics. "It just feels good to win."
The Lobo defense also put the clamps on the Aggies' leading scorer Eric Channing, holding him to only seven points on six shot attempts. He had been averaging more than 15 points per game.
"I think Eric Chatfield did a tremendous job on Eric Channing, who we know is a great player and has been a Lobo killer," UNM head coach Fran Fraschilla said. "We were fortunate to come out with a win."
The Lobos (4-3) took a 14-9 lead with less than 13 minutes to play after two Chatfield free throws, and New Mexico State (4-2) took its turn on top when Brandon Mason hit a wide open 3-pointer to make the score 18-16.
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Both teams were turnover and foul prone in the first half, with the Lobos committing eight turnovers and fouls, and the Aggies 11 and 10.
New Mexico State extended its lead to 35-30 after Jamaal Williams fouled James Felder as the first half clock ran out, and he calmly sank his two free throw attempts.
The second half was also a sloppy, see-saw affair, but was not devoid of excitement.
A Parmer-to-Patrick Denn-ehy alley-oop dunk got the scoring going, but the Aggies kept the Lobos at bay with strong inside play by Felder and James Moore.
Parmer's pull up 3-pointer at the 11:38 mark tied the game at 45, but the Aggies kept pace.
As the Aggie defense sagged in on Parmer, Carey hit back-to-back open 3-pointers to tie the game at 55 and spark the Lobos' decisive 11-0 run.
UNM had leads of 60-55 and 63-59 but could not put the Aggies away. That is until the final play of the game.
With 10.7 seconds to play and the Lobos up 66-64, Mason drove the lane, looking for Channing.
When he couldn't find him, Mason chucked up a short jumper, which hit the front of the rim and Parmer stole the ball out of Aggie forward Chris Jackson's hands as time expired.
"(Eric) Chatfield played really good defense," Mason said. "So it was my job to go to the basket if I couldn't get it to Eric (Channing). It was a shot I thought I could make and it fell short."
The Aggies finished with 19 turnovers and sank only seven of their 16 second half free throw attempts.
"You can't beat people with 19 turnovers, and each guy took his turn turning it over," NMSU head coach Lou Henson said. "We really had trouble trying to stop penetration. Parmer is an excellent player."
Fraschilla also lauded Carey, who he said has struggled recently, but came through when he was needed.
"I'm happy for him," Fraschilla said. "He hasn't shot the ball well early on in his career here - he's been a little rusty coming off the transfer year - but he's the ultimate team guy."
Parmer finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Carey had 16 points to go along with four rebounds.
Chatfield followed with nine points and guard Ruben Douglas pitched in seven.
The win marks the third consecutive time the road team has won, the second year in the row the Lobos have won in Las Cruces and UNM leads the series 99-88.
The I-25 battle now swings to the north, where New Mexico State will take on the Lobos Dec. 16 in The Pit at 3:05 p.m.
"It's a great series and a fun series," Fraschilla said. "Tonight we came out on the long end, but the Aggies have beaten us there my first two years here and we know they'll be ready to play."
