Baylor
New Mexico
New Mexico Bounces Baylor From NIT, 83-73
3/14/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 14, 2001
By PETE HERRERA
AP Sports Writer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Ruben Douglas scored 27 points to lead New Mexico to an 83-73 win over Baylor in a first-round NIT game Wednesday, spoiling the return of former Lobos coach Dave Bliss.
New Mexico (20-12) pulled away from a 72-71 lead on back-to-back baskets by Wayland White and a short bank shot by Marlon Parmer with 1:20 left in the game.
Baylor (19-12) had rallied from a 12-point second half deficit behind Terry Black and Greg Davis. Black scored 22 points, most of them on a variety of dunks. Davis, who played two years at New Mexico and transferred to Baylor when Bliss took the Bears' job two years ago, finished with 17 points.
Douglas hit five 3-pointers and eight of 14 shots overall. Parmer added 16 points and White had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
New Mexico plays Pepperdine in a second-round game next week.
A smiling Bliss walked down The Pit's ramp and was welcomed back with a mixture of boos and cheers from the partisan New Mexico crowd of more than 11,000. He waved to the crowd, then took his seat on the opponents' bench, a strange sight for the man who was the Lobos' head coach for 11 seasons.
Bliss led New Mexico to seven NCAA tournaments and set the school record for career wins with a record of 246-108. The Lobos had 10 seasons of 20 wins or more under Bliss.
Bliss took the Baylor job after the Lobos lost to Connecticut in the second round of the West Regional in 1999. Bliss felt it was time for a change and many in New Mexico criticized Bliss over the Lobos' failure to advance past the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Given the mixed reaction Bliss' return produced, it was evident The Pit remained a house divided. Not so when it came to Davis. Davis was booed each time he touched the ball or went to the free throw line.
