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Bairstow leads Lobos past Davidson

Nov 24, 2013 - 8:16 PM Charleston, SC (SportsNetwork.com) - Cameron Bairstow scored 18 points and Alex Kirk contributed 16 with 14 rebounds, leading 19th-ranked New Mexico to a 79-58 victory over Davidson in the third-place game of the Charleston Classic.

Cullen Neal added 15 points and Kendall Williams chipped in 12 for the Lobos (4-1), who bounced back from Friday's 81-65 loss to UMass in the semifinals.

"We're growing as a team," said New Mexico coach Craig Neal. "I thought we handled their pressure today. We were prepared for it. This was one of those times where we knew what we were doing."

Brian Sullivan scored 17 points and Tyler Kalinoski netted 16 for Davidson (1-5), which faced its third nationally ranked opponent of the season. The Wildcats previously lost to Duke and Virginia earlier this month.

De'Mon Brooks, the preseason Southern Conference player of the year, did not play for Davidson because of an unspecified injury. He leads the Wildcats in scoring, averaging 16.8 points.

Kirk scored the first two baskets of the game and Hugh Greenwood followed with a jumper for the Lobos, who never trailed. The Wildcats were within two on a number of occasions during the first half, but never managed to move in front.

A Jack Gibbs layup drew Davidson within 27-25 late in the half, but New Mexico followed with the next five as part of a 12-4 run that gave the Lobos a 39-29 advantage at the break.

The Lobos' lead reached 21 with 11 minutes left on a Williams trey and the Wildcats got only as close as 14 from there.

Game Notes

Kirk notched his fifth double-double in as many games this season ... The Lobos shot 48.3 percent and dominated the Wildcats on the glass with a 48-28 rebounding advantage ... Davidson shot just 35.6 percent overall and made only 8-of-29 from beyond the arc ... New Mexico has won all three meetings with Davidson, including an 86-81 triumph last November in Albuquerque ... The Wildcats haven't beaten a ranked opponent since knocking off Kansas on Dec. 19, 2011.