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MBK: New Mexico Moves Past No. 20 UNLV Into Finals

Mar. 9, 2012
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS - Drew Gordon had 19 points and 13 rebounds for New Mexico, which raced back from deficits of 12-0 and 17-4 to stun No. 20 UNLV 72-67 in the Runnin' Rebels' home arena in the Mountain West Conference semifinals Friday night.

The Lobos (26-6) will play No. 18 San Diego State in the championship game Saturday night. The Lobos and Aztecs shared the regular-season title, with SDSU earning the top seed on a tiebreaker. SDSU will be trying for its third straight tournament title and automatic NCAA berth.

Tony Snell added 15 points and Demetrius Walker 12 for the Lobos, who outrebounded UNLV 41-25 and took advantage of the Runnin' Rebels shooting just 35.6 percent overall.

New Mexico had lost to UNLV (26-8) the previous seven times they'd met in conference tournament games.

Gordon's biggest rebound came with 40 seconds left after UNLV's Anthony Marshall missed a shot with the Lobos leading 68-65. Kendall Williams was fouled and made both shots for a five-point lead with 26 seconds to go. UNLV missed two easy shots on its next possession. Marshall made two free throws with 14 seconds left to pull UNLV to 70-67, but Williams sealed it with two free throws with 12 seconds left.

All of Gordon's rebounds were on defense.

Marshall scored 19 for UNLV (26-8), Oscar Bellfield 13 and Mike Moser 11.

It was a grudge match after the teams split regular-season blowouts. UNLV beat New Mexico 80-63 at home on Jan. 21 behind Moser's double-double. On Feb. 18, New Mexico routed the Runnin' Rebels 65-45 in Albuquerque behind Gordon's monster game of a career-high 27 points and 20 rebounds.

UNLV lived up to its nickname when it ran to a 12-0 lead behind 3-pointers by Chace Stanback and Anthony Marshall and two three-point plays by Bellfield.

Bellfield's 3-poiner made it 17-4.

New Mexico wasn't down for long. A.J. Hardeman and Hugh Greenwood made two shots apiece and Gordon had one during a 10-0 run that brought the Lobos to 17-14.

The Lobos tied it at 29 on a jumper by Jamal Fenton with 1:54 before halftime and took their first lead on two free throws by Tony Snell with 1:27 to go.

UNLV's Kendall Wallace hit a 3 just before the buzzer for a 34-31 lead.

UNLV made six of 12 3-pointers in the first half, but shot just 37.5 percent overall. New Mexico shot 50 percent overall, but made only 1 of 8 from behind the arc.

New Mexico took control in the second half and was ahead 64-56 after two free throws by Gordon. But UNLV came back to tie it on two free throws by Marshall, a 3-pointer by Moser and a three-point play by Marshall.

After missing shots on consecutive possessions, the Lobos went ahead 66-64 on two free throws by Walker after UNLV big man Brice Massamba fouled out. Marshall went to the line again with 1:18 left and made one of two. Walker made two free throws to put the Lobos up 68-65 with 50.3 seconds to go.