Mathis hits 2 late 3s to help New Mexico beat UNLV 85-81

Jan 18, 2018, 05:37 am

LAS VEGAS -- Anthony Mathis scored 14 points, including a 4-point play and a 3-pointer in the final 77 seconds, to help New Mexico rally from a late 11-point deficit and beat UNLV 85-81 on Wednesday night for its first road win of the season.

Makuach Maluach scored eight points during a 13-3 run that pulled New Mexico (9-11, 4-3 Mountain West) within one point with four minutes left. Jovan Mooring hit a 3 to push UNLV's lead to 81-76 with 1:15 left but, eight seconds later, Mathis was fouled as he hit a 3-pointer from the right wing and hit the free throw. Mooring forced a 3 late in the shot clock on the other end, and Antino Jackson, probing the defense, found Mathis for a deep 3-pointer to make it 83-81 with 11 seconds remaining. After UNLV missed a layup, Joe Furstinger hit two foul shots to cap the scoring.

Maluach scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting before fouling out with 3:26 to play. Jackson added 17 points, Furstinger had 14 and Vladimir Pinchuk and Dane Kuiper scored 10 apiece for the Lobos.

Jordan Johnson led UNLV (13-5, 2-3) with 19 points. Mooring scored 18 and Shakur Juiston had 14 points and 14 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.

UNLV went without a field goal for nearly seven minutes, and was scoreless for almost five of those, in the first half but New Mexico also had a drought of four-plus minutes and it was 35-all at the break. Six different Runnin' Rebel players scored during an 18-5 run that gave them a 67-56 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to go.