New Mexico New Mexico/Stanford Stanford Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

Casey Jacobsen scored 14 points and Ryan Mendez had 13 as Stanford beat New Mexico 75-44 Saturday to move to one victory of matching the best start in school history.


	Stanford center Curtis Borchardt shows off some of Stanford's depth with this second-half dunk.

The Cardinal (17-0) won handily while becoming the nation's only unbeaten Division I team after Georgetown's 70-66 defeat against Pittsburgh earlier Saturday.

Still, both teams said a simple zone defense was all that Stanford needed to turn a competitive game into a laugher with impressive speed.

"That really didn't feel like a 30-point ballgame at all," Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. "New Mexico was even quicker and more aggressive than we thought they were going to be. I don't know if we've played a team that quick. Putting a zone in there helped us, because we got them out right of their tempo."

The Cardinal can equal the 1997-98 team's school-record winning streak -- also the school's top start to a season -- with a victory at Washington on Thursday.

In the first meeting between the schools since the 1974-75 season, New Mexico (12-3) was palpably excited to face the nation's No. 1 team. The Lobos drove the lane with reckless abandon and played with defensive fire on the way to a 24-23 lead with less than nine minutes left in the first half.

That's when Stanford put on the defensive clamps, using a 1-2-2 zone defense that wouldn't allow New Mexico to penetrate the paint.

"We knew they were going to play zone against us, but I had not seen a 1-2-2 on any of the tapes," New Mexico coach Fran Fraschilla said. "That threw us out of it. They were worried about our penetration because we had been driving the ball. The zone cut us off, and then we couldn't make a shot."

The Cardinal closed the first half on a 23-3 run and allowed the Lobos just one field goal in the final 9:24 before halftime. Mendez, Jacobsen and 7-foot reserve center Curtis Borchardt hit 3-pointers as Stanford shot 56 percent in the first half.

"They were playing with pride against us, (but) we took them out of their game when we put the zone in," Mendez said. "After that, they didn't take too many of their good shots."

The Cardinal again had the remarkable offensive balance that's become a trademark, with eight players scoring at least five points. Stanford held New Mexico to 32 percent shooting, including 24 percent (7-for-29) in the second half. The Lobos were 1-for-12 on 3-pointers.

Stanford could have attacked the smallish Lobos with height, but towering twins Jason and Jarron Collins were used sparingly and combined for just 15 points and 11 rebounds. Instead, the Cardinal beat New Mexico at its own game -- perimeter defensive pressure and proficient outside shooting.

Mendez, the Cardinal's senior swingman starter, was back on his game after battling the flu and scoring a total of just 15 points in Stanford's last three contests. He hit two early 3-pointers and matched Jacobsen with 11 points by halftime, while Mike McDonald also hit two 3-pointers and had seven assists.

"We're on a roll right now, and as long as we just stay focused and keep getting better, we'll be in good shape," Mendez said.

Montgomery removed all of his starters midway through the second half, but the Cardinal's reserves steadily increased the lead. Borchardt had seven of Stanford's 25 points from reserves.

"I know we have quality depth at every position," Borchardt said. "It feels good to me that we're in this position where anybody on the bench can contribute."

Ruben Douglas had 12 points to lead the Lobos, who lost for just the second time in 13 games. Leading scorer Eric Chatfield got into early foul trouble and had just 11 points, nearly eight below his average.

While his team played frenetic basketball in the opening minutes, Fraschilla worked the sideline with equal fervor, screaming after any remotely questionable call. He even tripped and fell to his knees as he ran to make yet another protest in the first half.

But the Lobos quickly lost their edge. Senior Wayland White missed six consecutive free throws at one point, prompting the Stanford student section to chant, "Foul No. 4!" -- White's uniform number.

Stanford improved to 34-1 against non-conference opponents in Maples Pavilion since the 1994-95 season. New Mexico, which beat then-No. 2 Arizona in Tucson last season, fell to 1-2 in games against No. 1 teams.

ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard

New Mexico Clubhouse

Stanford Clubhouse