ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –The New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team showed plenty of fight against Big 12 opponent Arizona State, but a late second-half rally wasn't enough to complete the comeback.
UNM fell to the Sun Devils 91-86 at The Pit on Sunday, despite holding its own on the glass and getting strong offensive performances from Jake Hall and Hudson Mayes.
The Lobos actually outrebounded Arizona State 36-35, showing they could compete physically against a bigger opponent.
Hall led UNM with 19 points, while sophomore guard Hudson Mayes added 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds for a double-double.
Mayes brings the energy at The Pit
Mayes provided one of the game's biggest highlights with a thunderous dunk in transition.
Dax Hall ignited the fast break and found Mayes streaking toward the basket, where the sophomore finished emphatically to get the crowd buzzing.
Despite Arizona State's size advantage, Mayes said he wasn't going to let that change his aggressive approach.
“No, size doesn't phase my aggressiveness, attacking the paint at all,” Mayes said. “I don't care how big you are, I'm gonna go in there. That's a staple in my game. That's what the coaches need me to do.”
Mayes also acknowledged he could have been more aggressive earlier in the game, particularly when attacking the basket.
“I think I could have been a little more aggressive in the first half,” Mayes said. “The way they play, they're more attached to their man, and we could have driven more.”
Olen points to defensive penetration
Head coach Greg Olen shared a similar sentiment about the size difference, saying he didn't believe Arizona State's height was the biggest factor in the loss.
Instead, Olen pointed to the Sun Devils' ability to penetrate the defense and finish around the basket.
“I didn't feel like their size affected us as much as the depth of their penetration,” Olen said.
Olen noted that UNM initially did a solid job forcing Arizona State into perimeter shots, but the Sun Devils found success when they attacked the paint.
“They made 9 of those 11 twos at halftime, and we fouled them on a couple,” Olen said. “I just felt like they got too deep in their penetration, and so then it was kind of like now we're giving up everything for a portion of that game.”
The Lobos made a push late in the second half, but Arizona State held on to secure the five-point victory.
Lobos prepare for regular-season opener
UNM will now turn its attention to the regular season as it prepares to return to The Pit next Monday.
The Lobos will host Utah Tech, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m., as they look to open the regular season on their home court.
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