ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico scored 54 first-half points Friday night, spearheading the Lobos to a 86-57 season-opening victory over Texas Southern.
Cullen Neal scored 22 points, Tim Williams, 17, Elijah Brown added 16 with six assists, and New Mexico out-shot Texas Southern from the field 59.3 percent to 34.7 percent.
The Lobos broke away on a 15-2 run midway through the first half in which Neal scored 5 points, and New Mexico never trailed for the remainder.
Forward Malcolm Riley paced Texas Southern with 20 points.
The bulk of the Lobos' points through the first 20 minutes came in the low post. New Mexico scored 32 points in the paint while limiting Texas Southern to 10 in the first half.
The Lobos out-rebounded the Tigers 35-24, and held a 17-7 scoring edge off turnovers and a 13-2 advantage on fast breaks.
New Mexico scored 54 first-half points Friday night, spearheading the Lobos to a 86-57 season-opening victory over Texas Southern.
Cullen Neal scored 22 points to pace the Lobos, hitting 8 of 15 attempts from the field. Tim Williams scored 17, Elijah Brown added 16 with six assists, and New Mexico out-shot Texas Southern from the field 59.3 percent to 34.7 percent.
Neal, Williams and Brown all saw their first action in a regular-season game. Neal missed most of last season with an injured ankle, while Williams and Brown sat due to transfer eligibility rules.
The Lobos broke away on a 15-2 run midway through the first half in which Neal scored five points, and New Mexico never trailed for the remainder.
The bulk of the Lobos' points through the first 20 minutes came in the low post. New Mexico scored 32 points in the paint while limiting Texas Southern to 10 points in the first half.
Texas Southern led 11-6 with 17 minutes left in the first half. Forward Malcolm Riley paced the Tigers with 20 points. He fouled out with 3:35 left in the game. Orlando Coleman was the Tigers' leading rebounding with seven.
The Lobos completed 21 of their 29 first-half attempts from the field, but fell to 11-of-25 in the second half. They also committed twice the number turnovers from the first half to the second (from four to nine), finishing with 13 for the game.
The Texas Southern offense remained consisted throughout as the Tigers hit under 35 percent in both halves. They committed 19 turnovers, with 11 coming in the second half.
The Tigers did not have a second-half run longer than six points, which happened on the first possessions after halftime and cut the New Mexico lead to 38-22. The Lobos increased that lead to 52-27
The Lobos out-rebounded the Tigers 35-24, and held a 17-7 scoring edge off turnovers and a 13-2 advantage on fast breaks.
TIP-INS
New Mexico: won its seventh game in eight meetings against Texas Southern, playing for the first time since Nov. 19, 2001. New Mexico won its 13th straight season opener. The Lobos last scored 50 points in a half on Nov. 17, 2013 against Charleston Southern.
Texas Southern: did not play an exhibition game this season, and New Mexico went 2-0 in preseason play.
UP NEXT
Texas Southern plays at Creighton on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.
New Mexico travels to play in-state rival New Mexico State on Sunday in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
