New Mexico guard Donovan Dent (2) shoots in opposition to San Diego State ahead Nathan Mensah (31) through the first half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
San Diego State guard Lamont Butler (5) shoots over New Mexico ahead Morris Udeze (24) through the first half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
San Diego State guard Darrion Trammell (12) shoots past New Mexico ahead Morris Udeze (24) through the first half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
San Diego State ahead Keshad Johnson dunks through the first half of the crew’s NCAA faculty basketball recreation in opposition to New Mexico, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
New Mexico ahead Josiah Allick (53) and ahead Morris Udeze (24) rejoice after New Mexico defeated San Diego State in an NCAA faculty basketball recreation Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
New Mexico ahead Morris Udeze (24) celebrates through the second half of the crew’s NCAA faculty basketball recreation in opposition to San Diego State on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
New Mexico guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. (5) drives past San Diego State ahead Jaedon LeDee (13) through the second half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
New Mexico guard Javonte Johnson drives past San Diego State ahead Keshad Johnson (0) through the second half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
San Diego State guard Lamont Butler (5) tries to maintain the ball in play in entrance of New Mexico guard Jaelen House (10) through the second half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
New Mexico coach Richard Pitino gestures from the sideline through the second half of the crew’s NCAA faculty basketball recreation in opposition to San Diego State on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher, proper, and gamers react after a foul name through the second half of Tema’s NCAA faculty basketball recreation in opposition to New Mexico on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — An introduced sellout crowd of 12,414 — minus just a few hundred who confirmed up sporting Lobo gear — aimed their relentless boos, jeers and pure venom down on one individual on Steve Fisher Court.
Jaelen House, the UNM level guard sporting the black cowboy hat and consuming up each second, went off for 29 factors — 21 within the second half and 10 of 12 in a decisive second-half run that led the Lobos to stun No. 23 San Diego State, 76-67, on Saturday night time in Viejas Arena.
“It’s gotta be like that,” stated House. “I do not like them and so they do not like me. … I do not know what it’s. I identical to massive time moments.”
The Lobos improved to 16-2 on the season and 3-2 in Mountain West play, handing the Aztecs (13-4, 4-1 MWC) their first league loss of the season.
A yr after the Lobos misplaced in the identical constructing by 25 factors in a recreation the Aztecs bodily manhandled UNM’s depleted roster, House was hardly the one one hoping to show a degree on Saturday in opposition to the perennial league favourite Aztecs.
(*23*)
House’s 29-point, six-rebound, four-steal efficiency was accompanied by 22 factors from Jamal Mashburn Jr. and a 10-point, 15-rebound recreation from switch energy ahead Morris Udeze.
The Lobos jumped out to as a lot as an 11-point lead within the opening half and led 38-28 on the break. But the power within the area, and from the veteran Aztecs, wasn’t about to let the guests simply run away with it.
SDSU closed the hole shortly within the second half. A pair of Micah Parrish free throws with 9:23 left within the recreation put SDSU up 49-48 — their first lead because it was 2-0.
But whereas the sector was buzzing for the SDSU run (21-10 within the half at that time), it was about one minute later when the drama actually started to unfold.
Former MWC Defensive Player of the Year Nathan Mensah was referred to as for his fourth foul within the lane on Morris Udeze with 8:20 left. He instantly reacted by stepping in frustration in direction of referee Gerry Pollard, incomes a technical and fouling out.
House hit two free throws for the technical, retaking the lead for UNM 50-49. Then the Lobos inbounded the ball, resulting in a House 3-pointer and a five-point UNM possession for a 53-49 lead.
A Mashburn bucket then 5 extra House factors later and UNM’s 12-0 run and a 60-49 lead had House in his factor, egging on the boos and irritating the Aztecs.
“Frustration’s a giant half of all the pieces we do in sports activities,” SDSU coach Brian Dutcher stated after the sport. “And we’re annoyed we did not get a win at present.”
Pitino stated of his polarizing level guard, “I stated to our employees, it is like he is like a wrestler in WWE. He’s, like, relishing this. But that fuels him. He’s simply received to get to that line and cease.”
He did not fairly try this, although.
After one other House 3-pointer to place UNM up 63-50 with 5:13 left, he was then referred to as for a technical for an excessive amount of chatter — one thing the referees had been warning him about.
That, like he delivered to SDSU simply three minutes earlier, led to a five-point possession for SDSU — two technical free throws from Adam Seiko after which a Seiko 3, chopping the UNM result in 63-55.
But the momentum was already again within the palms of the Lobos, and the margin was by no means nearer than 4 down the stretch.
UNM had a season-low 5 assists.
BOX SCORE: New Mexico 76, San Diego State 67
Un Ms Dsu 190536 by Albuquerque Journal on Scribd
EMPTYING THE NOTEBOOK: For extra notes, stats and evaluation from Saturday’s recreation, learn the Emptying the Notebook column.
Emptying the Notebook: UNM’s House and Mashburn present is on a mission
Here are some notes, quotes, stats and different tid bits I emptied out of the…
UP NEXT: San Jose State at UNM, 7 p.m., Tuesday FS1, 770 AM/96.3 FM
VIDEO: Postgame interviews with Richard Pitino, Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr. …