Boise State 86-78 New Mexico (Jan 31, 2024) Recreation Recap – ESPN

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — — Max Rice scored a career-high 35 factors and Boise State beat No. 19 New Mexico 86-78 on Wednesday evening, handing the Lobos their first house lack of the season.
Chibuzo Agbo added 16 factors for the Broncos (15-6, 6-2 Mountain West), and O’Mar Stanley had 12 factors and 14 rebounds.
Donovan Dent led New Mexico (18-4, 6-3) with a career-best 31 factors. Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 14 for the Lobos, who fell to 11-1 at house. That they had gained 5 straight video games general — each by at the very least 18 factors.
“We knew how good they have been,” Boise State coach Leon Rice mentioned. “We got here off a troublesome, powerful sport (a 90-84 time beyond regulation loss to Utah State). And it was powerful to reply and get better, and no person on this planet thought we may come down right here and do that. After what we’ve seen, there have been a few instances I turned off the pc. I didn’t wish to watch anymore, as a result of I knew the groups they destroyed and so they completely blitzkrieged some nice groups.”
New Mexico bought a subpar offensive efficiency from Jaelen House, who got here in averaging 15.6 factors per sport. He missed his first eight pictures and completed with 12 factors on 2-for-15 capturing.
The sport was tied at 67 earlier than a late run bookended by 3-pointers from Max Rice and Agbo gave Boise State a 77-69 lead it didn’t relinquish over the ultimate 3:44.
Max Rice was 7 of 14 on 3-pointers and missed simply as soon as contained in the arc, his newest large efficiency versus the Lobos after setting his earlier profession excessive with 30 factors towards them final season.
The senior guard was 12 for 43 from the sector over the past seven video games earlier than breaking out.
“Lots of sleepless nights for me, and I got here into this yet another locked in than I’ve in my complete profession,” Max Rice mentioned. “And I’ll say this was one of many larger wins we’ve had in our program’s historical past.”
Boise State took a 29-20 lead halfway via the primary half after a 14-0 run over a five-minute span.
New Mexico trimmed it to 41-38 at halftime and regained the lead at 49-48 early within the second half.
BIG PICTURE
New Mexico got here in main the Mountain West Convention in scoring at 84.3 factors a sport, whereas the Broncos have been permitting the fewest factors at 66.4 per sport.
The win left Boise State a sport behind first-place Utah State.
STOLEN IDENTITY
New Mexico has been feasting on steals, averaging 10 a sport and turning them into straightforward factors. However the Lobos managed solely 4 steals on this evening, whereas Boise State nabbed seven to earn an 8-6 edge in factors off turnovers.
“We weren’t in a position to flip them over, which has actually, actually helped us,” New Mexico coach Richard Pitino mentioned. “Eleven turnovers, however we weren’t getting the steals that we had been getting.”
GLASS CLEANERS
Along with Stanley’s rebounding efforts, Agbo and Tyson Degenhart every pulled down seven boards, contributing to a 41-33 edge in rebounds for Boise State. And with 13 offensive boards, the Broncos had a 17-9 benefit in second-chance factors.
“They performed with such an amazing motor on the glass,” Pitino mentioned.
UP NEXT
Boise State is at house Saturday towards Air Drive.
New Mexico begins the second half of its convention schedule subsequent Tuesday at Wyoming. The Lobos gained the primary assembly 77-60.
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