New Mexico Lobos Edge Out Saint Mary's Gaels at University Credit Union Pavilion

The New Mexico Lobos secured a narrow victory over the Saint Mary's Gaels with a final score of 69-65. The Lobos now hold an improved record of 1-0, while the Gaels fall to 0-1.

In a closely contested match at the University Credit Union Pavilion, the New Mexico Lobos showcased their offensive skills by shooting an impressive 49 percent from the field and converting half of their three-point attempts. The team's free throw accuracy was also notable, as they made 87 percent of their shots from the line. The Lobos' scoring was distributed between two halves with 27 points in the first and an increased output of 42 in the second.

The defensive efforts were led by a total of eleven steals and two blocks, contributing to seventeen turnovers for Saint Mary's. On offense, New Mexico capitalized on these opportunities by scoring sixteen points off turnovers. Despite being outrebounded offensively four to seven by Saint Mary's, they matched them in total rebounds with twenty-eight each.

The standout statistics for New Mexico included thirty-four points scored in the paint and nine fast break points which underscored their ability to capitalize on quick transitions. However, ball handling proved challenging as evidenced by seventeen turnovers equaling that of their opponents.

Saint Mary's Gaels put up a resilient fight despite trailing behind slightly in field goal percentage at forty-five percent and struggling from beyond the arc with only thirty-three percent accuracy on three-pointers. Their free throw performance lagged behind at sixty-three percent success rate but managed to block twice as many shots as New Mexico with four blocks.

The Gaels were more successful in generating second-chance points totaling twelve compared to seven for New Mexico but fell short due to personal foul trouble that led to two players fouling out and accumulating twenty fouls over the course of play.

Looking ahead, fans can anticipate another exciting game for New Mexico when they face off against rivals New Mexico State Aggies at Pan American Center located in Las Cruces, NM on December 3rd at 7:00 PM local time (9:00 PM Eastern Time). This upcoming matchup will not be broadcasted but supporters can follow live updates through various sports news outlets.