NEW MEXICO 65, NO. 11 UNLV 45: Drew Gordon had 18 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, and also added 20 rebounds, as New Mexico rolled to a critical victory over the Rebels.

With the win, the Lobos (22-4, 8-2 MWC) took a two-game lead over UNLV (22-6, 6-4 MWC) in the Mountain West Standings and remained a game ahead of second-place San Diego State in the loss column.

New Mexico has four games left — two at home and two on the road — and three are against the worst teams in the conference. If the Lobos can hang on, it would be their second league crown in the last three years.

Through 28 minutes, this game was a back-and-forth affair. Neither team led by more than eight points while the lead changed nine times.

But after UNLV pulled even at 36 on Anthony Marshall’s free throw with 12:15 left, New Mexico responded with a 12-0 run over the next four minutes. Demetrius Walker buried a 3-pointer to start the run — and a Gordon layup capped it off.

Gordon finished 13-of-20 from the field for the Lobos, who lost the first meeting 80-63 on Jan. 21. Tony Snell added 12 points.

The Rebels, led by Marshall’s team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds, couldn’t pull within single digits the rest of the way.

Mike Moser, UNLV’s leading scorer, finished with eight points on 3-of-10 shooting. As a team, the Rebels shot just 31 percent and committed 15 turnovers en route to their lowest point total of the season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: New Mexico defeated UNLV for just the second time in the last six meetings … The Lobos improved to 12-2 at The Pit … Marshall was whistled for a flagrant-one foul with 5:16 left … UNLV’s previous low was 51 in a early-December loss at Wisconsin ... Eight of Marshall's points came from the free-throw line.