Wake-up call: Lobos let out a week of frustration on D-II Mustangs

Maybe Filip Borovicanin can sleep in on Sunday.

When asked if he had a black eye on Saturday night after he and his UNM Lobo teammates took out a week’s worth of frustrations on Division II Western New Mexico in the form of a 122-70 victory in the Pit, the 6-foot-9 Serbian guard explained they were just bags under his eyes because his coach has been making the team practice at 7 a.m. since losing to in-state rival New Mexico State last week.

“I’m not really like, how do you say, early guy? Early morning guy?” Borovicanin said.

The past week of dealing with a grumpy, frankly embarrassed coach Richard Pitino wasn’t exactly fun for Borovicanin and his teammates. But it got the job done.

All 12 Lobos available to play Saturday scored, including five in double figures, UNM posted its largest margin of victory in six years, scored more points in a game than any Mountain West team has done in three years, had a 22-0 run in the second half with primarily deep bench players, scored 45 points off 24 Mustangs turnovers and left the generously announced Pit crowd of 11,419 much happier this Saturday than last, albeit against an understandably outmatched opponent.

“Last time in this building, just a devastating loss, and we just got back to work,” said Pitino, UNM’s fourth-year coach who said he realizes he needs to approach this year’s team differently than previous Lobo squads. “We had some early morning practices all week. Credit to our guys for getting up and just understanding that we need to work. We need to get better. Clearly, the best part of the game was to be able to play the bench. ...

“I don’t want to move on from New Mexico State. I want them to remember it. I don’t want to forget about it, and I want them to motivate us to be better, especially in this building, because our fans deserve that.”

UNM (8-3) did get off to another slow start against the visitors from Silver City on Saturday, tied 18-18 seven minutes into the game as the Mustangs hit seven of their first nine shots, including four 3-pointers.

UNM’s next five made baskets were 3-pointers, including three from Braden Appelhans who hit a career-high five 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in the game. UNM finished with 14 made 3s, including 10 from bench players, led by Appelhans’ five and three more from freshman Jovan Milicevic, who had the best game of his young college career with a game-high 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

A Nathan Jones’ 3-point play with 14:35 left in the game pulled WNMU within 22 at 76-54. The Lobos then went on the longest scoring run in the Pitino area — 22-0 — all scored by non-starters, including eight by Milicevic. UNM led 98-54 at the end of the scoring run.

UNM scored 74 points off the bench.

“Clearly, the best part of the game was to be able to play the bench — a lot of new guys there that got some very, very valuable minutes,” Pitino said.

The Lobos led 60-37 at halftime despite WNMU shooting 61.5% from the floor. The issue for the Mustangs wasn’t so much shooting, but just getting a shot off. The Lobos had 19 more field-goal attempts and had a season-high 45 points off 24 WNMU turnovers while also posting a season-high 17 steals.

UNM shot well above 50% on layups in its first eight games. In a close win over San Jose State on Dec. 4, it was just 46.4% (13-of-28) on layups. In the Dec. 7 NMSU loss as 20-point favorites, UNM was 14-of-38 (36.8%) on layups.

Saturday vs. WNMU, the Lobos were 26-of-33 (79%) on layups.

“I harped on it,” Pitino said of the layup hiccup last week. “I was all over them about it, working on it. It’s not okay to miss layups, guys. Free throws are different. Free throws are a little bit mental. Layups are a toughness thing, get in there and go make the layup. We had two games in a row San Jose and New Mexico State of under 50% from layups. The NBA is trying to get above 70% from layups. Guys are good players. Do better.”

WNMU had three players score in double figures with Kellly Carson and Aiden Wall each at 14. Former Lobo Isaiah Marin, in his first game every played in the Pit as he played on the 2020-21 Lobos team that wasn’t allowed to play in the state due to COVID-19 restrictions, had 13 points and hit three 3-pointers.

UNM outscored WNMU 62-34 in the paint and finished the game shooting 60.3% from the field.

BOX SCORE: New Mexico 122, Western New Mexico 70

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