Boise State
20-4, 10-2MW
New Mexico
12-13, 7-5MW
Broncos Storm Back at The Pit
2/6/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Chandler Hutchison made a layup with 16 seconds remaining to put Boise State up for the first time in the second half and the Broncos beat New Mexico 73-71 on Tuesday night.
Hutchison finished with 23 points, including 15 in the second half, as Boise State (20-4, 10-2 Mountain West) came back from a 13-point deficit. Chris Sengfelder led the Broncos with 24 points.
Anthony Mathis led the Lobos (12-13, 7-5) with 17, but his potential game-tying layup attempt at the buzzer rolled off the rim.
The ending of the game was marred by a near-melee with players from both teams pushing and shoving after New Mexico forward Joe Furstinger's unnecessary hard foul.
The loss ended the Lobos' seven-game home winning streak.
New Mexico built a 40-29 halftime lead on the strength of a late 10-0 run sparked by consecutive 3-pointers from Chris McNeal and Mathis.
But the Broncos scored the game's final eight points to steal the victory.
The win pushes Boise State to 20-4 overall and 10-2 in Mountain West play. The 20-4 record is the best 24-game start to a season since the 1988-89 team also started 20-4. The 10-2 start to Mountain West play is the team's best 12-game start to a conference season since kicking off Big West play 10-2 in the 1998-89 season.
The 20 wins also gives head coach Leon Rice his sixth 20-win season in a row at Boise State, further improving the school record for consecutive 20-win seasons. The previous longest stretch of consecutive 20-win campaigns was three, coming in 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1988-89. The Broncos had just seven 20-win campaigns since joining Division I before Rice took over.
KEY STAT
Boise State, the conference's leading rebounding team, dominated the boards 41-26, including 14-3 on the offensive glass. Hutchison led the way with 12, while Sengfelder had eight, seven on the offensive end.
UP NEXT
Boise State plays at Utah State on Saturday.
