SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Jalen McDaniels had 24 points and 11 rebounds while freshman Aguek Arop made a 65-foot shot at the halftime buzzer and Devin Watson made three 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the second half to help San Diego State to a 97-77 victory against New Mexico on Tuesday night at Viejas Arena.
Watson finished with 21 points, freshman Nathan Mensah had 16 and Arop and Jordan Schakel 10 each for SDSU (10-7, 2-2 Mountain West).
SDSU's 30 assists were its most in a MWC game, and the 97 points tied for the school's most in a regulation MWC game. Jeremy Hemsley and Matt Mitchell had nine assists apiece.
Anthony Mathis scored 21, Vance Jackson 16 and Carlton Bragg 12 for New Mexico (8-9, 2-3).
The game's highlight came when Arop stole the ball, took a few steps and launched his three-quarters-court shot, which swished at the buzzer to give the Aztecs a 44-39 halftime lead. He scored 10 points in the first half and Mensah had 12. Mensah scored 10 of the Aztecs' first 17 points in the first five minutes and had 12 of their first 25. The two freshmen combined to go 10 for 10 in the first half.
SDSU had a 19-8 lead behind Mensah's opening salvo but New Mexico clawed its way back and trailed just 23-22 after the third 3-pointer in 2 1/2 minutes by Mathis. Mathis had four 3-pointers in scoring 13 points in the first half.
Arop's long shot and Watson's 3-point barrage in the opening minutes of the second half gave the Aztecs some breathing room. Watson's third 3-pointer gave SDSU a 53-41 lead.
BIG PICTURE
New Mexico: The Lobos have lost three straight since opening MWC play with an 85-58 upset of then-No. 5 Nevada at home on Jan. 5. They followed that up by losing at home against UNLV, at Colorado State and then at SDSU.
San Diego State: The Aztecs were coming off a 62-48 loss at Air Force in which they cut a 16-point deficit to four points, but couldn't finish the comeback.
UP NEXT
New Mexico hosts Wyoming on Saturday.
San Diego State is at Fresno State next Tuesday night. Justin Hutson, a former longtime SDSU assistant, is in his first season as the Bulldogs' coach.