by Kevin McFarland
Daily Lobo
UNM men's basketball newcomers Joel Box and Kyle Prochaska certainly know how to make an entrance.
As the new-look Lobos trampled New Mexico Highlands University 110-79 in an exhibition game on Saturday night, Prochaska and Box led the team in scoring with 15 points each.
Prochaska managed to get his points while shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, while Box showed strength on the blocks as well as a nice touch from outside.
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Lobo head coach Ritchie McKay said he wasn't surprised by the fast starts of his junior college transfers.
"Joel is very, very talented," McKay said. "He can score anywhere on the floor. And Kyle, I tell him he's got a nasty looking game, but he's so effective. He's definitely a stat-sheet stuffer."
Box and Prochaska were elated to be playing in the bigger and rowdier Pit.
"It was nice," Prochaska said. "We both come from junior colleges, so all this support is like nothing we've ever experienced."
The offense, led by Box, who drained two threes in the first minute, was in high gear from the start.
The defense, however, took awhile to show up.
With 13 minutes left in the first half, the Lobos and Cowboys we're deadlocked at 16. The tied score wasn't due to a lack of offense, as the Lobos hung nine threes on Highlands in the first half.
"The offense was there," McKay said. "We were over-helping on their penetration, leaving their shooters open, and they took advantage of it. We'll have to make some adjustments."
While Box enjoyed his first game as a Lobo, he admitted the team has a few things to work on. Most notably, defense.
"We went out there and played pretty good, but we gave up 79 points," Box said. "We started out a little slow. We can't do that against teams like Oregon and Washington. We have to come out with defensive intensity from the beginning."
When UNM broke out of its defensive funk, it scored 10 straight points to begin the rout.
The Lobos never looked back as the team went into the locker room with a 52-32 lead at the half.
On cruise control for the rest of the night, McKay got to rest his starters for most of the game.
Every Lobo on the roster played substantial minutes, and each of the 13 Lobos scored.
Kris Collins led all Lobo scorers not named Box and Prochaska with 13 points, while Mark Walters and David Chiotti scored 10 points each in limited action.
