FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — The New Mexico Lobos escaped with an 80-78 victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs in a Mountain West men’s basketball game Saturday at Save Mart Center. New Mexico, which improved to 21-6, overcame a 44-32 halftime deficit by outscoring Fresno State 48-34 after the break. Jake Hall led the Lobos with 20 points, while Deyton Albury added 21. Fresno State (12-14) was paced by Jake Heidbreder’s 22 points and DeShawn Gory’s 21. The Lobos prevailed despite being outshot from the field and losing the rebounding battle. New Mexico’s efficiency at the free-throw line, making 11 of 13, proved critical in the narrow win before a crowd of 5,402.

FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — In a game defined by its frantic final minute, the New Mexico Lobos escaped the Save Mart Center with a narrow 80-78 victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball clash on Saturday. The Lobos, who trailed by 12 points in the first half, completed the regular-season sweep of the Bulldogs by executing in the closing seconds before a crowd of 5,402. The win improved New Mexico to 21-6 overall, while Fresno State fell to 12-14. The contest was a tale of two halves. Fresno State, fueled by the hot shooting of Jake Heidbreder and DeShawn Gory, built a 44-32 lead at halftime. The Bulldogs shot 51.5% from the floor in the opening period and connected on five three-pointers. New Mexico, meanwhile, struggled to find an offensive rhythm, committing eight first-half turnovers. The second half saw a dramatic reversal. The Lobos tightened their defense, holding Fresno State to 34 points on 39.4% shooting after the break. New Mexico’s offense, led by the penetrating drives of Deyton Albury and the all-around play of Jake Hall, came alive. The Lobos methodically chipped away at the deficit, leveraging their efficiency at the free-throw line, where they made 11 of 13 attempts compared to Fresno State’s 5-of-9 performance. The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final 30 seconds. With the score tied at 76, New Mexico’s Jake Hall hit a clutch jump shot to put the Lobos ahead with 22 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Fresno State’s Zaon Collins drove for a layup to tie the game at 78 with just four seconds left. New Mexico immediately inbounded the ball to Albury, who was fouled by Bastien Rieber on a drive with 0.9 seconds on the clock. Albury, a guard from Nassau, Bahamas, calmly sank both free throws to reclaim the lead. Fresno State’s desperation heave from beyond half-court fell short as time expired. The most important part of the game was unquestionably the final possession regulation. With the score knotted and mere seconds remaining, New Mexico avoided the complacency of settling for a last-second heave. Instead, they aggressively attacked the basket, resulting in Albury drawing the decisive foul. His composure at the line under extreme pressure sealed the comeback victory, highlighting the Lobos’ poise in a hostile road environment. Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Both teams had 66 possessions, with New Mexico posting a 120.9 offensive rating to Fresno State’s 117.7. The Bulldogs actually shot slightly better from the field, 52.4% to 51.7%, and won the battle in the paint 48-46. However, New Mexico’s advantages from the three-point line (7-of-19 to 7-of-23) and, most crucially, the free-throw line proved to be the difference. Heidbreder, a guard from Floyds Knobs, Indiana, led all scorers with 22 points for Fresno State. Gory, from Victorville, California, added 21. For New Mexico, Hall of Carlsbad, California, scored 20 points, while Albury finished with 21, including the game-winning free throws. Luke Haupt of San Diego contributed 10 points and two blocks for the Lobos. The victory keeps New Mexico in strong contention near the top of the Mountain West standings. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, the Lobos entered the game with a 90% probability to win. Fresno State, despite the loss, showed resilience, particularly from 7-foot center Wilson Jacques of Metz, France, who scored 16 points and grabbed multiple offensive rebounds. New Mexico next travels to face Nevada on Tuesday. Fresno State will hit the road for a game at Colorado State, also on Tuesday.

FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging New Mexico team looks to solidify its standing near the top of the Mountain West when it visits Fresno State on Saturday. The Lobos (20-6), coming off a dominant 98-61 home victory over Air Force on Tuesday, have won seven of their last nine games. Their high-powered offense, which put up 90 or more points in three of those wins, will be tested on the road at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State (12-13) seeks consistency and a signature win to climb back to .500. The Bulldogs are 2-3 in their last five, alternating wins and losses, and are coming off a 92-82 defeat at Wyoming. They previously beat Air Force 93-63 at home. New Mexico guard Deyton Albury has been a steadying force, averaging 10.7 points and 3.4 assists over his last seven games. He scored 14 points with six assists in the win over Air Force. Fresno State will counter with guard Zaon Collins, who is averaging 10.3 points and 4.3 assists over his last six contests. He had 16 points and three assists in the Bulldogs’ 98-96 home win over UNLV on Feb. 3. The Lobos won the first meeting this season, 83-74 in Albuquerque on Jan. 21. In that game, New Mexico pulled away late despite a close contest for much of the second half. For New Mexico, this game begins a critical closing stretch against conference foes as it pursues a high seed in the Mountain West tournament. Fresno State aims to protect its home court and build momentum before heading to Colorado State next Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.