UCF Men's Basketball Shocks New Mexico

Redshirt freshman Chris Baez (Kissimmee, Fla.) hit a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining to give the UCF men’s basketball team a 72-71 victory at New Mexico on Saturday at The Pit. The victory snapped a 33-game home non-conference winning streak for the Lobos.

Senior guard Jermaine Taylor (Tavares, Fla.) scored 18 points in the victory for the Knights (2-1), who overcame a six-point deficit in the final minute. Taylor found Baez for the game-winning three. After the basket, New Mexico’s (2-2) Dairese Gray missed a triple at the buzzer.

Down 70-64 with 35 seconds to play, Taylor drained a 3-pointer to get UCF within three. On the ensuing possession, the Lobos’ Jonathan Wills threw the ball away in the back court and Taylor scooped it and headed to the basket for a slam dunk.

The Knights then fouled Phillip McDonald, who made one of two foul shots to push the New Mexico edge to 71-69 with 20 seconds to go.

New Mexico’s last home non-league loss came on Dec. 22, 2004, against Wake Forest.

“This is one of the most memorable wins in school history. This is finally a game where we made a game-winning shot,” UCF head coach Kirk Speraw said. “It was a total team effort. There were some staggered screens at the end and Jermaine did a great job of driving to the basket and finding Chris Baez who made a big shot. This will go down as one of the most memorable wins that we have ever had.”

Baez finished with 12 points in the win.