Double-Doubles Power Lobos to 91-84 Season-Opener Victory Over Nicholls
The New Mexico men’s basketball team kicked off the 2024-25 season with a 91-84 win over Nicholls at The Pit on Monday night.
The Lobos tied a school record, with three players posting double-doubles to extend UNM’s streak to 22 consecutive season-opening victories.
For the first time in 27 years, three Lobos posted double-doubles in the same game! Nelly Junior Joseph (28 pts, 16 rebs), Mustapha Amzil (13 pts, 13 rebs), and Donovan Dent (15 pts, 11 assists) led UNM to a season-opening win vs. Nicholls!
“Nicholls made a lot of big shots,” UNM coach Richard Pitino said. “They’re pretty dynamic — their guards are undersized, but they are fast and twitchy”
Nicholls, ranked 26th in Division I last season for 3-point shooting percentage, knocked down 15-of-37 from beyond the arc (40.5%).
This team just couldn’t miss and hit long-range 3s to help them stay in the game. We are talking about NBA range shooting.
Standout Performances:
- Nelly Junior Joseph led the charge, tying his career high with 28 points and matching his best UNM rebounding total with 16, marking his 44th career double-double — the fourth most among active Division I players.
- Mustapha Amzil added 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for his fourth career double-double.
- Donovan Dent recorded his fourth career double-double as well, finishing with 15 points and 11 assists.
- Tru Washington and CJ Noland (in his Lobo debut) contributed with 12 and 10 points, respectively, giving UNM five players scoring in double figures.
Game Recap: Both teams started strong offensively, keeping the score tight. Tied at 11 after four minutes, the game remained close through the first half, with Nicholls briefly leading 26-25 before UNM’s 7-0 run gave them a 32-27 lead.
By halftime, the Lobos were up 48-43, with Joseph contributing 14 points and nine rebounds.
In the second half, Nicholls cut the Lobo lead to one early on, but a 9-0 Lobo run extended it to 59-49.
The Lobos held steady, keeping their lead and pushing to 77-65 with 6:45 left. Nicholls battled back within four points at 88-84 with just over a minute to play, but the Lobos sealed the seven-point win from the free-throw line in the final moments.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
Notable Stats and Highlights:
- This marks just the 13th time in program history, and the first time since 1997, that three Lobos recorded double-doubles in a single game.
- The Lobos attempted 36 three-pointers, the most under head coach Richard Pitino.
- For the second time in two seasons, UNM recorded double-digit blocks (10) and steals (10), a feat they hadn’t achieved in over a decade prior to last year.
Quotes: “We knew this would be a tough game,” said Head Coach Richard Pitino. “Nicholls won at LSU last year, so they’re a quality team.
We made an effort to get Nelly the ball and put the pressure on their defense. It was a strong start, and we saw some things that will help us improve going forward.”
Up Next: The Lobos hit the road for a Friday matchup against No. 22 UCLA in the Las Vegas Hoopfest.
The game will take place at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, tipping off at 9:00 p.m. MT (8:00 p.m. PT) and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and KNML radio.
