Arizona Wildcats vs New Mexico Lobos Box Score on Dec 16, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 16, 2017

Sophomore Rawle Alkins scored a career-high 26 points to lead No. 23 Arizona to an 89-73 victory over New Mexico on Saturday night in Albuquerque, N.M.

Alkins played his second game of the season and made his first start after missing the first nine games with a foot injury.

It was the Wildcats' first game in Albuquerque since 1999, when former coach Lute Olson declared he'd never play the Lobos again after a controversial 79-78 loss.

The teams played like rivals should in the second half as New Mexico, down 49-33 at the half, rallied to make it a game.

The Lobos (3-8) attempted to slow Arizona (8-3) down with a full-court press and a 2-3 zone, but neither worked for most of the first half. The second half, however, was different. The Lobos closed to within 11 at 57-46 on a Dane Kuiper 3-pointer with 15:36 left.

New Mexico cut the deficiti to 74-64 with just under seven minutes left on Kuiper's 3-pointer and 76-69 with 5:05 left on another 3 by Kuiper, who scored a career-high 24 points and made six from long range.

But Allonzo Trier and Deandre Ayton took over late. Trier hit a layup to make it 80-71 and Ayton got loose for a dunk to make it 82-71 with 2:53 left.

Trier finished with 22 points and Ayton had 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Arizona jumped out to a comfortable lead in the first half at 26-16 behind some of its best offense of the season. The Wildcats shot 70.8 percent in the first half.

Arizona was up as many as 18 before settling for a 49-33 lead at the break. The Widlcats were 6 of 7 from 3-point range in the first period.

Alkins hit his first four shots, including 3 for 3 from beyond the arc. Ayton dominated near -- and far -- from the basket in the half as well. He hit his first five of six shots, finish with 10 points in the half.

NOTES: Arizona is without freshman reserve G Alex Barcello, who suffered an ankle injury this week ... Wildcats coach Sean Miller has won 12 of his last 13 games versus Mountain West Conference teams after losing his first three such contests as Wildcats coach. ... Deandre Ayton was one of four players in the nation to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 60.0 percent or better from the floor entering the game. He led the nation with nine defensive rebounds per game. ... New Mexico senior G Sam Logwood, who left the team more than a week ago, was back and started. ... Arizona is the first ranked team the Lobos have faced this season ... Sophomore junior F Dane Kuiper, who attended high school in Arizona, turned 21 Saturday.