The individual averages were similar, the results Saturday were not.

Giddens, who at 6-foot-5 is an inch shorter than Cummard while averaging about 14 points and nine rebounds, had a season-low four points (the third time he's done it) to go with six rebounds in 25 minutes -- only five of which came after halftime.

"It was a good workout. He was a great guy; he hit some good shots," Giddens said of Cummard, who came in averaging 15 points and six rebounds.

New Mexico coach Steve Alford said afterward it was his decision to sit Giddens, a senior who once transferred from Kansas because of run-ins with coaches and also had issues last year with former Lobo coach Ritchie McKay in Albuquerque. So far there has apparently been nothing but sunshine between the new boss and the talented player who hasn't lived up to many outside expectations.

Giddens never recorded a foul and he customarily plays about 30 minutes a night.

"Coach controls my playing time and I support him 100 percent," Giddens said. "If he feels like the best lineup on the floor is without me, then that's the best lineup."

Cummard scored 13 of his points after halftime. Within the first five minutes, he drained two 3-pointers and scrapped to get open for a 13-foot baseline jumper. He nailed it with Giddens a little bit away from him, and the defender -- much better this year than past ones, Alford says -- visibly dropped his head in frustration as he jogged back up the floor.

"I don't feel like he got me frustrated more than anybody," Giddens said. "I mean, I had some good drives. But his team was better today."

Cummard had backup on defense about every time Giddens went to the hoop -- he praised it.

"We focused on forcing him to the help (side)," Cummard said, "which Trent (Plaisted) did a great job of."

Alford said of the benching: "It wasn't anything J.R. did or didn't do. I thought Cummard played really well. He attacked that matchup. Sometimes you just have to look at your opponent and say, 'Good job.' "

• About those misses: Jonathan Tavernari's two misses were a jumper with about four minutes left in the first half, then a desperate 25-footer just before halftime. That play wasn't his fault. The ball got into his hands on a poorly executed possession.

The Cougars called timeout with 25.1 seconds left and essentially no shot clock to contend with. That was a rare sign of frustration for coaches, who regularly will try to set up a play like that when given a chance.

One thing that upset Tavernari was a foul that was called on him early in the second half, which was clearly on Plaisted.

• Something in the water?: BYU was made aware of Utah's easy win against TCU earlier in the day, in which the Utes also thrived from 3-point range.

Johnnie Bryant hit 8-of-14, while his team went 14-for-27.

"It just came down from Salt Lake, that 3-point juice," Cummard joked.

Cummard said during shoot-around the team heard of Memphis' win against Gonzaga, which kept its home-court winning streak alive (42 games) but that didn't seem to draw much attention.

• Still, yikes: BYU head coach Dave Rose will continue to get questions about the Cougars' spotty (that's being kind) free throw shooting -- 16-of-29 against the Lobos.

"Our concentration level is good," Rose said. "We're just having a difficult time with confidence right now. We can shoot a lot better, and I think we will."

• Tip-ins: Junior college transfer Archie Rose has a fan club, and it got its wish when he was put into the game with about 7:40 left -- and a 32-point lead. A pack of students had been chanting "We want Archie" a couple of minutes earlier. However, he missed a close basket and a couple of free throws to remain scoreless (with three rebounds) in eight minutes. ... The Cougars have an important road swing coming up, at Air Force (Wednesday) and Wyoming (Saturday). ... Freshman guard Jimmer Fredette had a career-high six assists. ... The 44 first-half points were the most since 46 against Hartford (fourth game of season).