Every Lobo scores in big win over Texas Southern

New Mexico followed up a closer-than-expected first half with a dominating second 20 minutes to blow out Texas Southern 99-68 in front of an announced crowd of 11,286 on Sunday in the Pit.

All 12 available Lobos scored, five of them in double figures, led by another stat stuffing Tru Washington performance of 19 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists, leading an energized effort to put the game away early in the second half.

“I thought we played really well. I would think UCLA was probably our best performance, but I think all around (we) did a lot of great things,” UNM coach Richard Pitino said. “Thought we were missing some open looks in the first half that we obviously converted on in the second half.”

The Lobos improve to 5-1 on the season before heading to Palm Springs for two games Thursday and Friday against NCAA Tournament-potential competition, starting Thanksgiving evening against Big 12’s Arizona State.

“The energy level from the jump was way better than Grambling State (on Thursday night),” Pitino added, referring to his team’s 80-58 win over another SWAC team in the Pit three days prior.

But while the Lobos’ energy level may have been better than Thursday, their first-half results were not.

Texas Southern (1-5) used a 9-0 run late in the first half to take its first lead on the Lobos at 31-29 after a Zytarious Mortle 3-pointer with 2:27 remaining in the half.

The Lobos, led by Braden Appelhans with a second consecutive game of quality minutes off the bench, closed the half on a 9-0 run of their own. In one flurry of action, Appelhans blocked Zaire Hayes’ shot attempt — Appelhans’ second block of the half — and then completed the ensuing fast break by hitting an elbow 3-pointer in transition for the halftime score of 38-31.

The Lobos kept that momentum rolling to start the second half, tarting on a 7-0 spurt out of the locker room for a 45-31 lead with 18:16 left in the game.

From the 2:27 mark of the first half to the 18:18 mark of the second half — a span of 4:29 and a 16-0 Lobos run — the Lobos shot 6-of-8, had seven rebounds, two blocks, two assists and three steals.

“(We) continue to turn teams over at a high rate,” Pitino said. “Obviously, having some guards — C.J. (Noland) with eight rebounds, Tru with 10 rebounds, was good.”

UNM went on to score 61 points (a blistering 1.6 points per possession) in the second half, a high for a half in the Pitino era. And it was hardly just the starters putting up the numbers.

Filip Borovicanin, the 6-foot-9 Arizona transfer who started the first four games of the season but didn’t even get into Sunday’s game until the 9:41 mark of the second half, had the type of breakout performance he has shown himself capable of in practices this season. He tied a career high with 11 points, scoring all 11 in a 2 minute, 16 second span that included a 3-pointer and four 2s.

Freshman Kayde Dotson scored 10 points off the bench to go along with two assists and three of UNM’s 11 3-pointers on the night. Mustapha Amzil (18 points) and Donovan Dent (11 points, five assists) were the other Lobos in double figures.

Texas Southern was led by 15 points and six assists from guard Kavion McClain, who also had five turnovers. The Lobos scored 30 points off 20 Tigers turnovers.

1,000 POINTS: Amzil scored his 1,000th career point on Sunday night. He now has 1,013 in his fifth season of college basketball (700 in three seasons at Dayton and now 313 at UNM).

BOX SCORE: New Mexico 99, Texas Southern 68

EMPTYING THE NOTEBOOK: That's the Filip Borovicanin who was supposed to be a Lobo starter

SCHEDULE/RESULTS: Here is a look at the schedule and results for the UNM Lobo men's basketball team: