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Playing up-tempo style, New Mexico had 40 first-half possessions against Alabama A&M.
Craig Neal thinks his Lobos can play even quicker.
“We pushed the tempo in the first half, but once we got to a certain number I didn’t see any reason to push the tempo again,” he said.
The fast pace resulted in a 43-point second half and an 88-52 victory for the No. 23 Lobos in Neal’s first game as head coach.
UNM converted field goals on its first four possessions, jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes and never looked back, leading by as many as 38 points late in the game.
UNM scored 14 points on fast breaks and 14 on turnovers, and dominated the low post throughout with 40 points in the paint and 48 rebounds. The Lobos finished with 67 possessions overall.
Senior forward Cameron Bairstow finished with a career-best performance, setting a new career high with 22 points and matching his rebound high at 11. The senior missed only one field goal on 10 attempts. Bairstow even sat on the bench for about six minutes in the first half for foul trouble.
Fellow starters junior center Alex Kirk and senior guard Kendall Williams hit double-digit scoring as well with 16 points and 17 points, respectively. Williams made all four field goals he tried, including both 3-point shots, and Kirk sank seven field goals and pulled down 12 boards.
Kirk’s and Bairstow’s combined 23 rebounds matched the amount Alabama A&M had through the first 50 minutes. The Bulldogs finished with 27 total rebounds.
“Once we are able to play good defense, it really sets up the transition,” Bairstow said. “When you’re not taking the ball out, you can just rebound and go. We were securing the rebounds and that’s what set up the transitions for the guards, especially.”
Craig Neal stuck true to his word about not redshirting any player. All 14 players saw minutes, including freshman forward Tim Myles.
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UNM’s second unit saw significant playing time as well, particularly freshman center Obij Aget, sophomore forward Nick Banyard and freshman guard Cullen Neal. The coach’s son, playing in his first game as a Lobo, netted 12 points and fed Banyard on two alley-oop plays in the second half. Aget also made a huge block in the second half, one of eight by the Lobos.
UNM’s bench accounted for 23 points and 21 rebounds.
“Those guys are going to play hard because minutes are up for grabs,” Neal said. “Everybody wants to play. They have no choice but to play hard, and they did that.”
Before Craig Neal addressed the media after the game, athletic director Paul Krebs presented the first-year head coach with a basketball commemorating his victory.
“Hot off the press,” Krebs told Neal, “the first of many.”
“I have one to put in my office now,” Neal responded, expressing his appreciation.
