ALBUQUERQUE — Phillip McDonald scored 11 of his 15 points during a key 15-0 run that carried New Mexico to a 78-53 win over Air Force on Saturday night.
The Lobos (10-7, 1-1 Mountain West Conference) had four players score in double figures, with Tony Danridge and Chad Toppert also getting 15 points.
It was the most points Air Force (9-6, 0-2) has allowed in any game this season.
McDonald had been mired in a scoring slump with just 10 total points in the past three games. But he hit three 3-pointers during the decisive span that pushed New Mexico’s first-half lead from 9-6 to 24-6.
Air Force didn’t get closer than 15 points the rest of the game despite Matt Holland’s 14 points.
The Lobos connected on 54 percent of their shots from the field, including 9-of-16 from 3-point range.
The Falcons shot 39 percent from the field.
AIR FORCE (9-6)
Holland 5-9 0-0 14, Johnson 3-7 5-11 11, McLain 0-0 0-0 0, Henke 1-6 1-2 4, Washington 3-4 4-6 10, Provost 0-1 0-0 0, Atkins 2-6 1-2 6, Noonan 0-2 0-0 0, Stewart 0-4 0-0 0, Brown 1-1 0-0 2, Merriex 0-0 0-0 0, Schafer 2-4 0-0 4, Parker 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 18-46 11-21 53.
NEW MEXICO (10-7)
Martinez 2-5 1-1 5, Faris 5-10 1-1 11, Gary 1-3 0-0 3, McDonald 5-8 1-2 15, Danridge 4-5 7-8 15, Hardeman 2-5 0-1 4, Wills 2-2 3-4 8, Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Garth 0-1 1-2 1, Brown 0-2 1-2 1, Toppert 4-5 4-4 15, Johansen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-46 19-25 78.
Halftime — New Mexico 41-20. 3-point goals — Air Force 6-18 (Holland 4-6, Atkins 1-3, Henke 1-4, Washington 0-1, Noonan 0-1, Provost 0-1, Stewart 0-2), New Mexico 9-16 (McDonald 4-5, Toppert 3-4, Wills 1-1, Gary 1-2, Garth 0-1, Martinez 0-3). Fouled out — Henke. Rebounds — Air Force 32 (Washington 8), New Mexico 26 (Brown 6). Assists — Air Force 12 (Henke 3), New Mexico 21 (Wills 6). Total fouls — Air Force 20, New Mexico 21. A — 15,212.
