LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — JaQuan Lyle scored 24 points, Carlton Bragg made two free throws with 43.9 seconds, and New Mexico held on to beat New Mexico State 78-77 on Thursday night.
Lyle made 9 of 14 from the field and Bragg finished with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and four steals. JJ Caldwell added nine points — all in the second half — and seven assists for the Lobos (5-1).
Trevelin Queen scored six points during a 12-4 run that gave New Mexico State a 75-73 lead with 2:22 left in the game when he capped the spurt with two free throws. Corey Manigualt answered with a dunk 13 seconds later and, after the Aggies missed a 3-point shot, Caldwell converted a three-point play to give New Mexico a one-point lead with 90 seconds to go. Terrell Brown made a driving layup before Bragg’s foul shots put the Lobos in front for good.
The teams combined for four turnovers over the next 35 seconds before New Mexico State’s Jabari Rice missed a clean look for 3 from the left corner. The Aggies fouled and Caldwell missed the front end of a 1-and-1 before Shunn Buchanan missed a potential winner at the buzzer.
Queen had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Aggies (2-3). Rice added 13 points and Ivan Aurrecoechea scored 12.
New Mexico takes on Auburn on Monday. New Mexico State matches up against Colorado State on Monday.
