ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Danny Granger scored 24 points and New Mexico hit 12 straight shots in the first half in a 99-80 win over New Mexico State on Wednesday night.
New Mexico (6-1) took the drama out of the rivalry game early with a 26-9 run that gave the Lobos a 33-14 lead with 10:58 left in the first half.
After Kris Collins missed a shot in the game's opening minutes, New Mexico hit its next 12 and was 7-for-7 on 3-pointers through the first nine minutes.
New Mexico State (3-3) never mounted a rally and got no closer than 16 points at 83-67 with 5:16 left in the game. Antwan Alexander scored 15 points and freshman point guard Josh Jenkins had 14 for the Aggies.
Jenkins also had eight assists and four of NMSU's 12 3-pointers.
New Mexico shot 69 percent in the first half and led 58-35. The 58 points was the most by the Lobos in the first half since December 1997, when they scored 61 against Holy Cross.
Four other Lobos scored in double figures. Collins and Mark Walters each had 18, Troy DeVries had 16, all in the first half, and David Chiotti 11. Walters also had a career-high 10 assists.
DeVries hit five 3-pointers in the first half, when the Lobos hit eight 3s and 20 of 29 shots. So balanced was the Lobos' scoring in the 26-point run that Granger had only two points.
Granger had New Mexico's only 3-pointer of the second half, but the Lobos found enough holes in the Aggies' defense to score easy lay-ups and short jumpshots. With less than four minutes left in the game, Granger drove past a flat-footed Jeff Jones, who made no effort to challenge Granger's layup.
The Aggies won't have to wait long to try to avenge the loss. The state's only two Division I schools play again Saturday in Las Cruces.
