Cowboys shoot from the hip to end streak

It’s not exactly how the UNM men’s basketball team wanted to start conference season.

The Lobos saw Wyoming’s Paco Cruz sink an eight-foot floater over Lobo big man Alex Kirk’s head, and the Cowboys pulled out an 67-66 win in Laramie, Wyo. on Saturday.

Cruz’s shot ended UNM’s 14 straight MWC wins, seven straight conference road wins and three straight wins at Wyoming.
For head coach Steve Alford, the first fall in Mountain West Conference couldn’t be any more frustrating.

“We’re one rebound away from another road win and a pivotal road win in league play,” he said. “We just couldn’t get the rebound that we needed, and we did a really good job again at the end of the game of getting stops and scores. We needed to get one more stop, and we had it but we just didn’t finish it.”

After coming off of a 31-point performance, the most points scored by a UNM freshman, center Alex Kirk looked to be the hero again for the Lobos against the Pokes, despite only having eight points and four rebounds against Wyoming.

With 57 seconds left, Kirk hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 64.
Kirk said he came to UNM so he could have the opportunities to hit clutch shots.

“I just knew that I had to make that last shot, because we were down three,” he said. “We just needed it and had to just take it.”
Senior Dairese Gary had a game-high 24 points but was put up to the task of guarding Desmar Jackson, one of the Cowboys’ best players. Jackson finished with 15 points.

Alford said that Dairese played superb
defense, but his teammates didn’t lend much support on the defensive side.

“Dairese does that,” Alford said. “He competes at both ends and he understands that. We just have to get more guys on our team to understand that there are two ends of the floor. What you do at the offensive end matters a lot and what you do on the defensive end means a lot.”

Gary said the Lobos just made boneheaded plays against Wyoming.

“We played hard but our energy level wasn’t where we needed it to win that game,” he said. “I think we are a good team. We just have to limit the mistakes and come and bring it every game. You know, you have to play every play like it’s your last, and I don’t think that is where we are right now. I think we’re going to get there, but it has to come quick.”

But the Lobos can’t dwell on the loss. They must prepare for back-to-back home games this week.

The Lobos will host Colorado State on Wednesday and face No. 6 ranked San Diego State on Saturday.

“We think every week and every game is a must-win,” Alford said. “We prepared as hard as we can, and we will do as much as we can to get better.”