ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Playing its first game in 10 days, the Norfolk State men's basketball team fell behind by 16 points in the first half and saw its valiant second-half rally come up short in a 68-54 loss at New Mexico on Tuesday night.

The Spartans (9-4), who last played Wichita State on Dec. 11, got as close as two points in the final four and a half minutes, but the Lobos (7-6) scored 14 of the final 16 points to send the Spartans to their third straight defeat.

UNM used a 16-2 run midway through the first half to take control. After Nyzaiah Chambers made one free throw to bring NSU within 11-9, the Spartans managed just two points over the next five minutes, missing 11 of 12 shots in one stretch. Emmanuel Kuac had the first eight points of the run for UNM, including a pair of second-chance baskets.

UNM had 11 offensive rebounds and nine second-chance points in the first half. The athletic Lobos also blocked eight shots in the half, contributing to NSU's 23 percent shooting in the stanza.

The Spartans came out strong in the second half, scoring the first six points of the period, four by Dana Tate Jr. Joe Bryant Jr., who had two points in the first half, heated up in the second, scoring seven points in a span of just two minutes. His deep 3-pointer cut NSU's deficit to 42-33 with 15:19 left.

Later, a 7-0 NSU run, capped by a Kris Bankston dunk, brought the Spartans to within 54-52 with 4:19 left. But UNM's Jamal Mashburn Jr. answered with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, and after a free throw by Kuac, Jaelen House hit a trey in a 7-0 spurt to push the Lobo lead to nine. The Spartans, meanwhile, came up empty on their next four possessions.

Bryant scored 14 of his team-high 16 points in the second half. He added six rebounds, four assists and two steals for NSU, which shot 32 percent from the floor and 22 percent from long distance. Tate had 13 points and six boards, Bankston scored seven points and corralled eight rebounds, and Christian Ings chipped in eight points.

House led UNM with 16 points, Mashburn had 13 and Kuac scored 11 off the bench. The Lobos shot just 35 percent and 22 from behind the arc, but held a 26-4 edge in bench scoring.

The Spartans are off for the holiday break before returning to action at Campbell on Dec. 29 to conclude their non-conference schedule.