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LOBOS SEEK ROAD SPLIT: New Mexico looks to stay in the race for the Mountain West Conference title when it plays a key game Saturday at BYU. The Lobos and Cougars meet at the Marriott Center at 4 p.m., which follows the mens game between New Mexico and BYU. The game will be broadcast live on 610 AM The Sports Animal. The Lobos are 18-6 overall and 7-3 in the Mountain West Conference after Thursdays 67-59 stumble at Utah. New Mexico is in a three-way tie for second place in the MWC, along with BYU and UNLV. BYU, 16-7 overall, got past Air Force (68-55) while the Lady Rebels bounced league-leader Colorado State (71-59) Thursday in Las Vegas, dropping the Rams to 8-2 in the MWC. That means only one game separates the top four teams in the standings. Colorado State plays at San Diego State Saturday. UNLV hosts Wyoming.New Mexico is completing the regular season by playing four of its last five tilts away from The Pit. UNMs final home game is Feb. 23 against San Diego State. The Lobos finish the regular season at Wyoming and Colorado State.
Probable Starters30 Chelsea Grear, F, 5-10, Jr-2L, 9.7, 6.342 Lindsey Arndt, F, 6-1, Fr-HS, 7.3, 5.940 Jordan Adams, C, 6-3, Jr-2L, 14.5, 6.012 Molly McKinnon, G, 5-8, Sr-3L, 8.0, 2.521 Mandi Moore, G, 5-7, Fr-HS, 10.1, 4.3
UNM VS. BYU: The Cougars have a commanding 31-13 lead in the series, however, New Mexico has won two straight and six of the last nine. The series is tied at 11-11 in The Pit. BYU has a huge 19-2 edge in Provo. The Lobos won last year in the Marriott Center, 78-70. Their only other win came during the 1997-98 season, 67-64.
BYU Probable StartersF 21 Jennifer Leitner, 6-1, Jr.F 31 Lisa Osguthorpe, 6-0, Sr.F 51 Danielle Chessman, 6-2, Fr.G 11 Erin Thorn, 5-10, Jr.G 22 Stacy Jensen, 5-6, Sr.
Head Coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah 78; first year at BYU)
Jan. 17 in The Pit: New Mexico held the nations most proficient 3-point shooting squad to just 6-23 accuracy from long range, and picked up a 58-52 win over the Cougars. The game began as a see-saw battle, with eight lead changes in the first 11:30. Over the next six minutes the Lobos asserted themselves on defense, resulting in a 10-0 run and a 30-25 halftime lead. UNM owned the second halfs first 12 minutes, outscoring BYU 17-6, and taking a commanding 47-31 lead. The Cougars clawed back however, going on an 18-4 run, which included four three-pointers, and cutting the Lobo lead to two, 51-49, with just 2:24 left. UNM finally put away the visitors with a dramatic offensive rebound and 3-point play by junior forward Chelsea Grear with 1:14 to go.BYUs leading scorer, junior guard Erin Thorn, came into the game averaging 18 points per game, but was held to just eight points on 3-12 shooting from the field. Thorn was 2-10 from 3-point range.
HEAD COACH DON FLANAGAN: Don Flanagan is 140-69 into his seventh season at UNM, 95-35 at home and 45-34 away from The Pit. Flanagan is 8-5 against BYU, 6-1 in The Pit and 2-4 in Provo. Flanagan is 60-36 in conference games, 40-9 in The Pit and 20-27 on the road. Flanagan took over a struggling program in 1995 and the Lobos have improved remarkably under his guidance. Theyve captured a regular-season conference championship, a conference tournament title and made four consecutive postseason appearances, including the schools first-ever NCAA bid in 1998. Flanagan become the schools all-time leader in victories in less than five seasons, surpassing Doug Hoseltons previous mark of 89 wins from 1980-87. Amazingly, Flanagan took just 133 games to reach 90 wins for his career, while Hoselton won 89 games in 194 tries. Of course winning is nothing new for Flanagan. In fact he is winning less now than in his previous job as head coach at Albuquerques Eldorado High School, where he compiled an astounding 401-13 record with 11 state championships in 16 years.Under Flanagan, UNM has become a consistent threat to win the conference title as the Lobos have finished no worse than third in each of the past four seasons. Flanagans teams have become noted for their stifling defense. New Mexico has finished among the conference leaders in scoring defense in each of the last six years and has consistently ranked in the top-20 in the nation in that category as well. Fan support has been tremendous as a result of Flanagans defense and intense style of play. Last season the Lobos were fifth in the nation in attendance, averaging 8,712 fans a game. The Lobos had 16,845 fans witness their loss to Utah on Jan. 7, 2001, which at the time was the largest crowd in the nation. UNM also had a sellout throng of 18,018 at the WNIT Championship game, the third-largest on-campus attendance in the nation during the 2001-02 season. In 1999-2000, UNM was sixth in the nation with an average attendance of 8,918. In 1994-95, the year before Flanagans arrival, Los Lobos averaged just 397 fans per game.
LAST GAME: Utahs Lindsay Herbert scored 16 of her game-high 23 points in the second half, including four 3-pointers, to lead the Utes past New Mexico 67-59. UNM dropped its second straight conference road game.The first half was back and forth with six ties and seven lead changes, and the game was knotted at 30 at halftime. Herberts trey gave Utah its biggest lead at 48-39 with 9:37 left. The Lobos got consecutive baskets from Mandi Moore and Jordan Adams to trim the deficit to five at 48-43, but another Herbert bomb pushed the margin back to 10 at 53-43. Utah led by 13 (63-50) with 2:18 remaining before the Lobos made a late charge. Two free throws by Moore cut the Utes lead to 63-57 with 41 seconds left, but UNM would get no closer. Utah made 6 of 13 attempts from 3-point in the second half, and 8 of 21 in the game. Herbert was 5 of 8 from beyond the arc.Adams led UNM with 11 points. Moore added 10 while Melissa Forest scored 10 and pulled down a team-high 7 rebounds off the bench. Herbert finished with 23 points, one of four Utah starters in double figures.
SEASON NOTES: New Mexico is now 0-23 against Utah in Salt Lake City…the Utes lead the series 37-9 overall
UNMs two starting post players – Adams and freshman Lindsey Arndt, combined to make just 6 of 25 shots from the floor against Utah…Adams was 4 of 13, Arndt 2 of 12
One game removed from making 12 of 25 shots from 3-point, the Lobos converted just 2 of 11 at Utah…thats the fewest in 16 games, since UNM missed all seven attempts at UT San Antonio
Prior to Utah, New Mexicos defense had been outstanding the previous three games, holding opponents to an average of just 46.3 points and 28.2% (46-163) shooting…the Utes shots 39.2% (20-51), including 38% (9-21) from 3-point
Freshman Mandi Moore is 9 assists from cracking the top-6 for a single season…Moore has 115…Cathy Lowther (1983-84) and Molly McKinnon (2000-01) are tied for No. 6 with 124
Before the Utah game, the Lobos were 17-1 when outrebounding the opponent, 14-1 in weekday games and 15-2 in night games…those three trends all proved incorrect against the Utes…UNM had a 35-32 edge on the boards
Sophomore Melissa Forest is averaging 8.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 20.4 minutes in 10 MWC games…her non-conference averages in 16 games were 3.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 11.1 minutes
Opponents are averaging just 22.3 points in the first half of the past six games
Despite just 2 blocks at Utah, the Lobos have 25 the past three games and continue to lead the MWC by averaging 5.79 a game…for the season, UNM has swatted away 139 shots and is on pace to reject 173 over a 30-game season…the school record is 166 set last year UNM shot 51% (25-49) from the floor against Air Force, its 3rd-best accuracy of the season and best in 20 games, since making 34 of 60 (57%) at UTEP on Nov. 23
The Lobos established a season high against Air Force with 12 three-pointers, which matches the second-best effort in school history…the record is 15 vs. BYU on Feb. 1, 1996…New Mexico was 12-25 (48%) from downtown en route to its highest point total (78) in 12 games
UNMs average attendance stands at 9,002 with one regular-season game remaining…the single-season record is 8,918 in 1999-2000
Statistical Trends: New Mexico is 17-2 when it outrebounds its opponent, 15-1 when it outshoots its foe, 14-2 when playing on a weekday, 15-3 when playing at night and 14-2 when it commits fewer turnovers
TOUGH D: In home victories over Colorado State and Wyoming, the Lobos held both teams to their lowest point totals and shooting performances of the season. CSU scored 50 points and shot just 38.1% from the floor. The Cowgirls were limited to 41 points and 21.5% shooting.New Mexico entered the week 1st in the MWC in scoring defense (55.8 ppg), 1st in FG percentage defense (35.0%) and 1st in blocked shots (5.9 a game).
BACK AT YA: Led by junior Jordan Adams, the Lobos lead the Mountain West Conference with 139 blocks, a figure that ranks second-best by a UNM team for a season. The season record for rejections is 166 set last year.Twice this season, New Mexico has tied the schools single-game record by swatting away 13 shots: the season opener against Pacific and Feb. 2 against Wyoming. UNM also had 13 blocks against Texas Tech on Jan. 13, 1978.Adams set a Womens Preseason NIT record with seven blocks against Pacific on Nov. 9. She established a career-best with eight against Air Force on Feb. 7. Adams is the UNM womens career leader in rejections with 246.
UNM AT HOME: New Mexico is 13-3 at home this season, the only setbacks coming against No. 12 Colorado, Oregon State and UNLV.
ROAD NUMBERS: The Lobos are a solid 5-3 away from The Pit this season. The losses came at nationally-ranked Texas on Dec. 6, at UNLV and at Utah.COMEBACK KIDS: Three times this season New Mexico has won despite trailing by at least 10 points. The comebacks:
OpponentDeficitTimeFinal ScoreArizona36-2618:32, 2ndWon, 75-67Utah45-3216:14, 2ndWon, 66-55Colorado State28-126:51, 1stWon, 56-50
UNM VS. RANKED TEAMS: UNM is 2-2 against ranked opponents in 2001-02 with wins over then-No. 8 Texas Tech and then-No. 18 Colorado State. The losses have come against No. 12 Colorado and No. 17 Texas. The Lobos are 4-14 against ranked foes under head coach Don Flanagan. The 74-65 win against Texas Tech snapped an eight-game skid against nationally-ranked teams.
SHE DID IT: Junior center Jordan Adams became only the ninth player in school history to reach to the 1,000-point mark for her career when she nailed a free throw against Portland State on Dec. 15. Adams is only one of three players to get to 1,000 points during her junior year. She ranks 6th all-time at UNM with 1,184 points.
WHERE ADAMS RANKS: Jordan Adams in the UNM record book:
Career Blocked Shots (for both men and women)1. Luc Longley3362. Jordan Adams2473. Kenny Thomas239
Career Scoring1. Abby Garchek1,8362. Alison Foote1,6723. Jean Rostermundt1,4444. Yvonne McKinnon1,4205. Miranda Sanchez1,3016. Jordan Adams1,184
17,215 THANK-YOUS: The Lobos game against UNLV on Jan. 6 was televised on ESPN2. A crowd of 17,215 was able to make the trip to The Pit to watch the game. A the time, it was the second-largest crowd in womens basketball in 2000-01.
HONORS/AWARDS: Adams has been named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week twice this year and she was also chosen MVP of the Southwest Airlines Lobo Shootout on Dec. 22. Chelsea Grear and Mandi Moore were also named Southwest Airlines all-tournament.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Jordan Adams had her first double-double of the year against Pacific with 21 points and 10 rebounds. She had three double-doubles last year and has six for her career. Junior Chelsea Grear has registered a team-high three double-doubles for the year and four for her career. Freshman Mandi Moore logged a double-double in her first collegiate game with 15 points and 10 assists in the season-opener against Pacific. The last time a New Mexico player had 10 or more assists was last season when Nikki Heckroth had 11. Heckroths 11 hand-outs was the first time since 1996 a Lobo player has had double-figure assists. Lindsey Arndt has joined the d-d party twice after garnering 17 rebounds and 14 points against Arizona and 15 points and 10 rebounds against Colorado State.
ITS ALL ON THE BENCH: Head coach Don Flanagan regularly uses his reserves as eight Lobos have played in all 24 games while 10 have seen action in at least 21 contests.
FANTASTIC FROSH: The Lobos have three freshmen who have contributed greatly this year. Mandi Moore has started every game at the point, Lindsey Arndt has started all but one at power forward and guard Stephanie Shaw has seen action in every contest. The three players have combined to score 491 points (20.4 ppg), grab 308 rebounds (12.8 rpg) and dish out 202 assists (8.4 apg).Moore leads the MWC in assists (115) and assist-to-turnover margin (1.71) and is among the leaders in several other categories: 3rd in 3-point FG% (42.8), 7th in steals (44), 10th in FG% (47.3), 11th in 3-point FGs (1.25 a game), 12th in defensive rebound average (4.04) and 19th in scoring (10.1 ppg).Arndt has had two double-doubles this season and had 14 points and 17 rebounds in her fifth collegiate game against Arizona. She ranks third on the team and 10th in the league in rebound average (5.9). Moore leads the team in minutes played as well.
MARGIN OF VICTORY: The Lobos have had eight games this year where the margin of victory has been at least 20 points and four games where it was 30 or more. The average winning margin is 11.9 points. THE INVITATION IS IN THE MAIL: Junior Jordan Adams competed for a chance to represent the USA in the World University Games last summer. She spent three days vying for a spot at the Olympic headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Adams competed against 32 of the nations top womens basketball players. Adams was the only player from the MWC given an invite to the trials.
LONE STAR STATE OF MIND: Of the 12 players on UNMs roster, six hail from Texas. Stephanie Shaw, Brittany Wolfgang, Mandi Moore, Chelsea Grear, Daja Adams and Lauren McLeod all call the Lone Star state home. THIS JUST IN: UNM signed three players to national letters of intent during the early signing period. The group includes: Abbie Letz (El Paso, Texas), a 6-1 post who averaged 19 points and 8 rebounds at Hanks High School; Tiana Johnson (Roswell, NM) a 5-10 post who averaged 24 points and 9 rebounds at Goddard High School; Jana Francis (Canadian, Texas) a 6-2 post player who averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds at Canadian High School.
THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE: The MWC was conceived on May 26, 1998, when eight teams announced they were breaking away from the Western Athletic Conference. Those teams Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming brought immediate credibility to their new league.Last year, the Lobos finished in a tie for third place. Utah won the regular season title but it was the Colorado State Rams that won the tournament. CSU and Utah both advanced to the NCAA Tournament while UNM, UNLV, BYU and San Diego State played in the WNIT.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HOSTS: The University of New Mexico will host the 2003 NCAA Womens Basketball Midwest Regional. It will be the first time UNM has hosted a womens NCAA tournament game. The Pit has hosted the NCAA mens tournament seven times. Mens action returns to Albuquerque for the 2002 First and Second Rounds on March 14 and 16, and the West Regional on March 24 and 26, 2005.
LOBO HISTORY: The Lobos are in their 24th season of competition. The first womens basketball game at UNM was played on Jan. 10, 1974, a 79-45 loss to Gallup. The all-time record is 323-327. UNM played continuously from 1974-87 before the program was dropped for four seasons from 1988-91. Since its reinstatement before the 1991-92 season, the Lobos are 154-165, but 140-69 in six-plus years under Don Flanagan, who has posted five straight winning seasons.