Jake Hall Paces New Mexico Past Northern Arizona 94-65
“It was good to get a positive result here at home,” Eric Olen said after his squad secured a dominant 94-65 victory over Northern Arizona at The Pit – Powered by Nusenda. “I think we made some progress in some areas, and definitely taking care of the ball was one of those.”
The Lobos moved to 2-0 on the young season with Saturday’s wire-to-wire win, the first matchup between the two schools in 17 seasons. Jake Hall fueled the offensive charge with 23 points, netting 20 of them during a blistering first half that set the tone for the afternoon.
New Mexico Ties Turnover Record with Two Mistakes
Beyond the final margin, the game will likely be remembered in Albuquerque for a rare display of passing discipline. New Mexico committed just two turnovers all afternoon, tying a school record that had stood since January 13, 1983, during a 68-58 win over Colorado State.
The stellar ball security caught even the players off guard. Guards Uriah Tenette and Chris Howell were examining the postgame stat sheet when they realized the team had only turned the ball over twice while forcing Northern Arizona into 16 mistakes. That disparity translated into a lopsided 23-0 advantage in points off turnovers.
I didn’t even notice that,
Tenette told local media, while Howell added that the performance was pretty elite.
Howell anchored the offense from the bench, dishing out a career-high nine assists without committing a single turnover while logging five points. Meanwhile, Tenette added 18 points—scoring 14 of them in the second half after dealing with early foul trouble—and Hudson Mayes contributed 16 points and seven rebounds.
How the Game Unfolded in The Pit
The Lumberjacks (0-2) managed to keep pace early, staying within striking distance at 8-6 after the first four minutes. However, a methodical 11-0 run by the Lobos blew the game open, extending a 14-12 edge out to a comfortable 25-12 advantage with eight minutes remaining in the opening frame.
Hall continued his scorching start to the season. The guard’s 53 total points through the first two games mark the highest output by a Lobo through two contests since Lamont Long scored 60 points to open the 1998-99 campaign. Hall also went a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line against Northern Arizona, a feat last accomplished by Donovan Dent at Wyoming in January of 2025.
By halftime, New Mexico held a 46-30 lead. The second half offered no relief for the visitors as the Lobos steadily pulled away, stretching the margin to 27 points midway through the period before Fynn Lastring drilled back-to-back three-pointers late in the contest to secure the 29-point victory in front of an announced crowd of 11,861.
Looking Ahead to Little Rock
The Lobos will wrap up their three-game, season-opening homestand on Tuesday night. New Mexico is set to host Little Rock at 7 p.m., with the matchup scheduled to air on MW+ and the Lobo Radio Network.
Keep reading
Dover-Eyota defeats Caledonia to win section 1, Class 2a title
A Historic Ascent to the Section Title When Lauren Peck stepped onto the court as an eighth grader...
RoseMarie Dembowski of Simsbury and Marion dies at age 91
RoseMarie Dembowski, who spent her final years brightening life at a Marion healthcare facility where she earned the...
Seattle U Women’s Soccer Draws With Denver to End Regular Season
Redhawks Close Regular Season With 1-1 Draw Against Denver on Senior Day Seattle University women's soccer closed out...
Gavin Newsom moves to commute all 548 California death sentences
Governor Newsom Moves to Commute All 548 Death Sentences in California If my job is just to read...