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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, November 8, 2008

ROAD VICTORY
Warriors pound New Mexico St., 42-30

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai‘i defensive back Ryan Mouton is en route to a 91-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. Hawai‘i defeated New Mexico State, 42-30, in a Western Athletic Conference football game.

STEVE KAJIHIRO | Island Sports Media

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai‘i running back Daniel Libre (26) scores on a four-yard run in the first half.

STEVE KAJIHIRO | Island Sports Media

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawaii quarterback Greg Alexander (12) looks to pass against New Mexico State.

STEVE KAJIHIRO | Island Sports Media

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Greg Alexander passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns and Daniel Libre rushed for 88 yards and two scores to lift Hawai'i to a 42-30 victory over New Mexico State in a Western Athletic Conference football game today at Las Cruces, N.M.

Hawai'i is 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the WAC. New Mexico State is 3-6 and 1-4.

The Warriors' offense found its groove with 447 total yards to the Aggies' 400. The score gave UH the most points of the season. The Warriors' previous high was in a 38-31 victory over Nevada.

Alexander completed 26 of 32 passes with no interceptions and scoring passes to Aaron Bain and Kealoha Pilares. Greg Salas had seven receptions for 91 yards.

New Mexico State's Chase Holbrook completed 24 of 38 passes for 288 yards and four touchdown passes — three to Chris Williams.

Alexander passed 159 yards and two touchdowns to help Hawai'i to a 35-17 lead at halftime.

The Warriors won the coin toss and elected to kick off to the Aggies. On the second play from scrimmage. Holbrook completed an 84-yard touchdown pass to Williams to give New Mexico State a 7-0 lead with 14:16 remaining in the first quarter.

Alexander completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Bain to tie it at 7 with 9:39 remaining in the first quarter.

New Mexico State was about to go three and out on its next drive, but Bain fumbled the punt and the Aggies recovered at the UH 23. On the first play of the drive, Holbrook connected with Williams for a 23-yard touchdown for a 14-7 lead with 7:23 remaining in the first quarter.

The Warriors drove 66 yards in nine plays to tie it at 14. Libre ran for a four-yard touchdown with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter.

After the Aggies went three and out, UH drove 64 yards in six plays with Alexander scoring on a one-yard run for a 21-14 lead on the first play of the second quarter. The drive got a boost on a 48-yard run by Libre to the NMSU 16.

The Aggies drove to the UH 20, but on first-and-10, Holbrook was intercepted by Ryan Mouton, who returned it 91 yards for a touchdown and a 27-14 lead with 8:33 to go in the second quarter. Dan Kelly's kick was wide left on the extra-point attempt.

New Mexico State's Kyle Hughes kicked a 29-yard field goal to close Hawai'i's lead to 27-17 with 3:59 remaining in the second quarter.

Alexander completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Pilares with 1:02 to go in the second quarter. Alexander ran for the two-point conversion to give UH a 35-17 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Warriors got the ball back when Dane Porlas recovered a New Mexico State fumble at the UH 45. But UH's drive stalled and was forced to punt for the first time in the game as the first half ended.

The Warriors and Aggies traded punts to open the second half. On UH's second drive of the half, the Warriors drove to the New Mexico State 4, but Alexander fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Aggies' Sam King at the NMSU 24 with 5:06 to go in the third quarter.

Holbrook made the Warriors pay, completing his third touchdown pass to Williams — an 83-yarder — close Hawai'i's lead to 35-24 with 4:09 remaining in the third quarter.

The Aggies went for an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but UH's Spencer Smith recovered at the NMSU 36. Six plays later, Daniel Libre ran for his second touchdown — a 3-yarder — to give Hawai'i a 42-24 lead with 39 seconds to go in the third quarter.

Kelly missed on a 43-yard field goal attempt with 7:32 remaining in the fourth quarter.

With the large lead, Brent Rausch replaced Alexander at quarterback with 5:03 remaining.

Holbrook completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Anderson to close the lead to 42-31 with 1:11 remaining.