Air Force Academy
New Mexico
New Mexico Tops Falcons, 78-53
1/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2009
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Phillip McDonald scored 11 of his 15 points during a key 15-0 run that carried New Mexico to a 78-53 win over Air Force on Saturday night.
The Lobos (10-7, 1-1 Mountain West Conference) had four players reach double digits in scoring with Tony Danridge and Chad Toppert each getting 15 points.
It was the most points that Air Force (9-6, 0-2) has allowed in any game this season.
McDonald had been mired in a scoring slump with just 10 total points in the past three games. But he hit three 3-pointers during the decisive span that pushed New Mexico's first-half lead from 9-6 to 24-6.
Air Force didn't get closer than 15 points the rest of the game despite Matt Holland's 14 points.
The Lobos displayed sharp shooting throughout the game, hitting 9-of-16 from 3-point range and connecting on 54 percent from the field.
Air Force Post-Game Notes
-- Freshmen Jon Atkins had career-highs of two assists and 21 minutes played
-- Atkins also tied his career-best with two rebounds
-- Freshman Sammy Schafer posted career-highs of three rebounds and 15 minutes played
-- Sophomore Evan Washington tied his career high with eight rebounds
-- Sophomore Phillip Brown appeared in his first game this season
-- AFA's 25-point loss was the largest against a Mountain West opponent since losing 65-33 at BYU on Feb. 3, 2003
-- Air Force lost for the first time this season when outrebounding its opponent
-- New Mexico is the first team to shoot better than 50 percent from the field (54.3%) and three-point range (56.3%) against Air Force this season
