Snell, New Mexico tops Nevada
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Tony Snell poured in 25 points and Cameron Bairstow added 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead 12th-ranked New Mexico to a 75-62 win over Nevada on Wednesday.
Alex Kirk scored 11 points and grabbed 10 boards and Kendall Williams added 10 points for the Lobos (26-4, 13-2 MWC), who have won six straight games.
Malik Story scored 25 points for Nevada (12-17, 3-12), losers in six straight and nine of its last 10.
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New Mexico took a 40-34 lead early in the second half following a pair of Snell free throws, but the Wolf Pack used a 16-7 swing to go up 50-47 at the 12:20 mark.
The teams traded makes until Bairstow's jumper with 7:50 left sparked a 17-0 burst to put the Lobos ahead for good. Bairstow and Snell combined for 12 points on the run.
Nevada couldn't get closer than 13 the rest of the way.
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It was a back-and-forth game early in the first half, but Kirk drained a jumper with 13:05 left, sparking a 9-4 swing that gave New Mexico a 19-14 edge.
The Wolf Pack rallied for 10 unanswered points to go up 24-19 with 7:16 remaining in the first half, but a pair of Williams free throws and a Chad Adam trey tied the game at 24-24.
A Marqueze Coleman free throw tied the game at 32 with 1:19 left in the first half, but Snell scored the final four points of the period to give New Mexico a 36-32 lead at the break.
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Game Notes
New Mexico has won the only two games between the schools ... The Lobos won the MWC regular-season title for the fourth time in the last five years thanks to a 53-42 victory against Wyoming on Saturday ... Kevin Panzer and Cole Huff finished with nine points apiece in the setback.