Jan. 8, 2001
By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Eric Chatfield started the winning rally and finished with a game-high 27 points as New Mexico beat San Diego State 75-67 in a Mountain West Conference opener Monday night, the Aztecs' 15th straight league loss.
The Aztecs (10-4, 0-1) are enjoying a turnaround in coach Steve Fisher's second season, but the Lobos (11-2, 1-0) beat them for the ninth straight time and the 17th time in 18 games.
New Mexico snapped the Aztecs' six-game winning streak and denied Fisher his 200th career victory. San Diego State went 0-14 in the Mountain West last season.
New Mexico rallied from an 11-point first-half deficit, when Chatfield also led the way, then put away the Aztecs with a 13-2 run midway through the second half.
The Aztecs took a 49-46 lead on Randy Holcomb's alley-oop dunk with 11:24 left in the second half, but Chatfield personally erased it by scoring on three straight possessions during the next minute to give New Mexico a 52-49 lead.
With the Aztecs countering with only two free throws, the Lobos continued the run with Wayland White's slam dunk, a 3-pointer by Tim Lightfoot and White's layup for a 59-51 lead with 7:51 left.
The Lobos missed 7 of their first 8 shots in the second half, then made 12 of their last 16. The Lobos made 8 of 10 free throws in the final 1:03.
Chris Walton, the youngest son of Bill Walton, scored seven points in a span of 1:40 - including a 3-pointer - to help give the Aztecs a 47-44 lead.
Lightfoot scored 13 points and White and Brian Smith had 10 apiece.
Holcomb led San Diego State with 22, while Myron Epps had 13 and Deandre Moore 12.
San Diego State led 22-11 midway through the first half. But Chatfield had eight points in the final 5 minutes, including two straight three-point plays, to lead 33-32 at halftime.