by Kevin McFarland
Daily Lobo
UNM men's basketball head coach Ritchie McKay often refers to Mark Walters as the best guard in the Mountain West Conference.
San Diego State University guard Brandon Heath must have taken that as a challenge.
As the Aztecs defeated the Lobos 73-66 on Saturday, Heath used The Pit floor as a stage to present his case as the best MWC guard, scoring a season-high 32 points and dishing out six assists.
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Heath was a model of consistency, hitting 10 of his 19 shots, including 8-of-13 from three-point land.
But Heath's most impressive feat came in the first six minutes of the second half.
Following a solid first half by the Lobos, the score was tied at 31 heading into the locker room.
And that's when Heath took over.
He hit five threes and a midrange jumper in the first six minutes of the second half, and he almost single-handedly killed the Lobos' hopes for an upset. With 14 minutes left in the game, the Lobos trailed by 10.
"We let him get going," UNM senior David Chiotti said. "He got his rhythm on a couple of open threes, and from then on he was on fire."
Walters, who scored 25 points when the Lobos faced the Aztecs earlier this season, put up decent numbers, but struggled to find a rhythm throughout the game. Walters finished with 12 points and five assists, but he shot a dismal 4-of-17 from the floor.
With Walters struggling to make shots, the Lobos looked to juniors Joel Box and Kellen Walter to pick up the slack. Box scored 17 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, while Walter made 4-of-7 three-pointers for 12 points.
After the game, McKay insisted that bad shooting happens, even for Walters.
"He (Walters) is disappointed in the locker room and frustrated," McKay said. "But in basketball, you have games like that. He had a tough shooting night, and never got his rhythm."
Walters has made a habit of carrying the Lobos on his back this season. His 17 points per game against MWC foes leads the Lobos, and his knack for hitting the big three has been crucial at the end of games.
A big game at home against the conference-leading Aztecs is typically where Walters would shine.
But on Saturday, Heath beat him to the punch.
"Brandon is an excellent player," McKay said. "We've played against him for three years, and we know of his capability. He just made some long shots tonight and helped their team win."
This is the Lobos' second straight loss after a four-game winning streak. With two games left in the regular season, the team is looking to pull things together before the conference tournament.
If the Lobos win some games in the tournament, chances are they will have to face San Diego State again. If that happens, McKay said he is confident Walters will have a better game.
"Heath is a great guard," McKay said. "But I'll take Mark Walters any day of the week."
