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The New Mexico Lobos look to maintain their winning ways when they entertain Air Force Thursday night. Tipoff is 7:05 p.m. Mountain Time from The Pit/Bob King Court. The game will be broadcast live on 610 AM The Sports Animal. The Lobos are 17-5 overall and 6-2 in the Mountain West after last Saturdays 56-41 triumph over Wyoming. UNM is off to its best start since the 1998-99 team started 22-5. The Lobos have won six of their last seven and are 12-2 since Dec. 8. New Mexico resides in second place in the MWC, one-half game ahead of third-place BYU and one-half game behind league-leading Colorado State. BYU visits Wyoming and Colorado State this week.After Thursdays game, the Lobos will play four of their last five tilts away from The Pit. UNMs final regular-season home game is Feb. 23 against San Diego State.Air Force dropped a 63-55 decision to Colorado State at the Academy last Saturday. The Falcons are 4-16 overall and 0-7 in conference play. Air Forces last win was 85-69 over Navy on Jan. 5.
NEW MEXICO PROBABLE STARTERS
F 30 Chelsea Grear, 5-10, Jr-2L, 9.8, 6.7F 42 Lindsey Arndt, 6-1, Fr-HS, 7.0, 6.0C 40 Jordan Adams, 6-3, Jr-2L, 14.9, 6.0G 12 Molly McKinnon, 5-8, Sr-3L, 8.1, 2.5G 21 Mandi Moore, 5-7, Fr-HS, 9.9, 4.4 UNM VS. AIR FORCE: The Lobos have an 9-1 lead over the Falcons since the series started in 1991-92. UNM has won nine straight after Air Force won the inaugural meeting 61-41, on Jan. 2, 1992, at the Academy. New Mexico is 5-0 against the Falcons at The Pit. UNM took at 64-43 triumph at Colorado Springs on Jan. 12. The Lobos prevailed 65-52 last year at Albuquerque.
Air Force Probable StartersF 24 Amoy Jackson, 5-10, Soph., 11.1, 5.6F 25 Rozalyn Russ, 5-8, Sr., 4.4, 3.2F 35 Samantha Clifton, 5-11, Sr., 3.5, 4.3G 5 Latoya Howell, 5-4, Fr., 8.9, 2.3G 22 Alison Tomlinson, 5-6, Sr., 4.0, 1.4
Head Coach: Ardie McInelly (Boise State 82; first year at Air Force, 81-78 in 5th year overall; 0-1 vs. New Mexico)
HEAD COACH DON FLANAGAN: Don Flanagan is 139-68 into his seventh season at UNM, 94-35 at home and 45-33 away from The Pit. He is 8-0 in his career against Air Force, 4-0 in Albuquerque and 4-0 in Colorado Springs. Flanagan is 59-35 in conference games, 39-9 in The Pit and 20-26 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: The Lobos held Wyoming to a season-low 21.5% shooting to come away with a 56-41 victory over the Cowgirls. Jordan Adams led UNM with 17 points, her best scoring output in seven games.The Lobos built a 27-14 lead late in the first half on two free throws by Lauren McLeod, however, Wyoming scored the last four points of the period to trim the deficit to 11.New Mexico extended its lead to 15 points twice, the last time on a Lindsey Arndt leaner with 9:39 remaining. The Cowgirls, who missed 19 of their first 22 shots from the floor, managed to get within six points (46-40) with 2:52 remaining, but Adams scored on an offensive putback, then freshman Stephanie Shaw hit a short baseline jumper as the shot clock was winding down and added a rebound and two free throws to secure the win. Shaw also had a career-best seven rebounds. Chelsea Grear added 11 points and nine rebounds while Melissa Forest tied a career-high with nine boards.
NOTES FROM WYOMING: New Mexico has won nine consecutive games over, including six straight in The PitAfter scoring just 25 points in her previous four games, Adams 17 points was her best effort since getting 17 at Air Force on Jan. 12…she also had 3 bocks for the first time since the Air Force game
The 21.5% (14-65) accuracy by the Cowgirls is the lowest by a Lobo opponent in 54 games, since Nicholls State made just 18.8% (12-64) on Nov. 24, 2000…UNM won that game 83-41…Wyoming made its first FG attempt of the game then missed its next 12 tries
Opponents are averaging just 22.3 points in the first half of the past four games
Chelsea Grear made two 3-pointers in a game for the first time in her career…she was 2-3 from long range after going 2-10 in her first seven MWC games…Grear has scored in double figures in 3 straight games for only the second time in her career
A crowd of 11,176 increased UNMs average attendance to 9,024 with two regular-season games remaining…the single-season record is 8,918 in 1999-2000
UNM gave up a season-high 22 offensive rebounds to Wyoming…the previous high was 17 by Texas
Melissa Forest is averaging 9.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 21.4 minutes in eight MWC games…her non-conference averages in 16 games were 3.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 11.1 minutes
Lauren McLeod has connected on 20 of 23 FTs (87%) this season, including 16 of her last 17
TOUGH D: In last weeks 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. UW was limited to 41 points and a frigid 21.5% shooting.New Mexico enters the week 1st in the MWC in scoring defense (56.2 ppg), 1st in FG percentage defense (35.3%) and 1st in blocked shots (5.8 a game).
BACK AT YA: Led by junior Jordan Adams, the Lobos lead the Mountain West Conference with 127 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 single-game record by swatting away 13 opponents shots: in 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 also had seven swats against New Mexico State. Adams is the UNM womens career leader in rejections with 238
UNM AT HOME: New Mexico is 12-3 at home this season, the only setbacks coming against No. 12 Colorado, Oregon State and UNLV.
ROAD NUMBERS: The Lobos are an impressive 5-2 away from The Pit this season and have won three of their last four. The losses came at nationally-ranked Texas on Dec. 6 and at UNLV.
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 1,165 points.
WHERE ADAMS RANKS: Jordan Adams in the UNM record book:
Career Blocked Shots (for both men and women)1. Luc Longley3362. Kenny Thomas2393. Jordan Adams238
Career Scoring1. Abby Garchek1,8362. Alison Foote1,6723. Jean Rostermundt1,4444. Yvonne McKinnon1,4205. Miranda Sanchez1,3016. Jordan Adams1,165
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 22 games while 10 have seen action in at least 19 contests.
FRESHMAN FIREPOWER: The Lobos have three freshman 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 441 points (20.1 ppg), grab 292 rebounds (13.3 rpg) and dish out 187 assists (8.5 apg). Moore is second on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg), leads the MWC with 107 assists and logged a double-double in her first collegiate game with 15 points and 10 assists versus Pacific. Arndt has had two double-doubles. The first-year players are currently three of the top-five freshman rebounders in the MWC. Arndt is first, Moore second and Shaw fourth. Moore also leads all freshmen in scoring while Arndt is fourth.
MARGIN OF VICTORY: The Lobos have had seven games this year where the margin of victory has been at least 20 points and three games where it was 30 or more. The average winning margin is 11.0 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 322-326. 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 153-164, but 139-68 in six-plus years under Don Flanagan, who has posted five straight winning seasons.
New Mexico Probable Starters30Chelsea Grear, F, 5-10, Jr-2L, 9.8, 6.742Lindsey Arndt, F, 6-1, Fr-HS, 7.0, 6.040Jordan Adams, C, 6-3, Jr-2L, 14.9, 6.012Molly McKinnon, G, 5-8, Sr-3L, 8.1, 2.521Mandi Moore, G, 5-7, Fr-HS, 9.9, 4.4