Nov 10, 2001

Final Stats

By PETE HERRERA
AP Sports Writer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Linebacker Gary Davis had 15 tackles and recovered a third-quarter fumble that set up the go-ahead touchdown in New Mexico's 27-17 victory over UNLV on Saturday.

The win keeps alive New Mexico's pursuit of a bowl bid.

With the Lobos (5-4, 4-2 Mountain West) trailing 17-14, Davis fell on a fumble by UNLV backup quarterback Kurt Nantkes at the Rebels 23. Casey Kelly threw a 21-yard pass to Holmon Wiggins and fullback Jarrod Baxter bulled his way in.

Two field goals by Vladimir Borombozin - from 31 and 40 yards - clinched the Lobos' third straight win. Borombozin now has hit on a school record 16 straight field goals.

UNLV (3-7, 2-4) played without starting quarterback Jason Thomas, who sat out the game with the flu.

Davis' final tackle helped New Mexico hold UNLV on fourth-and-1 at the Lobos' 36 with 7:30 left in the game. That defensive stand led to Borombozin's second field goal.

Nantkes, protected well most of the game from New Mexico's blitzing defense, completed 12 of 28 passes for 159 yards. But his fumble with 11 minutes left in the third quarter gave New Mexico the break it needed.

The Rebels did their scoring in the first half on a 40-yard run by Dominique Dorsey, a 26-yard pass from Nantkes to Andrew Dubiellak and Dillon Pieffer's career-best 49-yard field goal with 44 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Lobos, tentative in the first half, dominated UNLV over the final two quarters behind the play of its defense and the running of Baxter and Holmon Wiggins. Davis led the defensive pressure with 10 unassisted tackles

Wiggins, who had a 66-yard kickoff return in the first half from which New Mexico failed to score, rushed for 76 yards and Baxter added 63 yards as the Lobos rushed for 200 yards.

New Mexico had first half touchdowns on a 21-yard run by Derrick Shepherd and a 1-yard run by Kelly.