CLEVELAND — Donovan Dent scored 21 points and No. 10 seed New Mexico took control late in the second half to defeat seventh-seeded Marquette 75-66 on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Richard Pitino joined his father in the second round after New Mexico (27-7) snapped a four-game NCAA Tournament losing streak and won its first game since 2012. Rick Pitino has No. 2 seed St. John’s playing its next game Saturday against Arkansas.
It is the second time the Pitinos have had teams in the 68-team field in the same year, but the first time both have won their first-round games.
Dent, the Mountain West Player of the Year, had six points in the first half but found his rhythm in the second half. He had four points during a 10-0 Lobos run that broke open the game.
“I just thought at the end of the game, we buckled down and got…
