Knoxville, TN – A dream season was ended with one half that could be classified as a shooting nightmare, as the University of New Mexico womens basketball team fell to defending national champion Notre Dame 58-44 Friday, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville, TN.
Despite the loss, UNM, seeded 10th, finished the season at 22-9, and produced only the second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. With the win, seventh seeded Notre Dame improves to 20-9 and lives to defend its National Title in the tournaments second round.
The Lobos appeared poised to dethrone the defending champs for the games first 25 minutes, but ultimately, the teams longest and most debilitating shooting drought of the season prevented UNM from picking up the first Tournament win in school history.
After making 14-27 shots in the first half, UNM posted its lowest single-half scoring total of the entire 2001-02 season, scoring only 11 points in the games second half. The Lobos shot just 4-24 (16.7%) from the field in the half, and made only one field goal in the games final 15 minutes.
The first half saw two evenly matched, defensive-minded teams trade punches in the half court set. The half featured` seven ties and eight lead changes, with neither team able to establish a lead of more than five points.
Notre Dames All Big East 1st Team guard Alicia Ratay controlled the game early, scoring 10 of her teams first 17 points, and giving the Irish an early advantage.
UNM countered the Ratay attack with an unlikely weapon. Sophomore forward Melissa Forest came off the bench midway through the first half and immediately put on a shooting clinic. Forest drained five quick field goals, including two three-pointers, scoring 12 of UNMs next 14 points.
Forests torrid shooting put the Lobos in front for the halfs final 5:30, with the lead growing as large as five, at 33-28, with only seconds to play in the half. A Teresa Borton put-back at the buzzer however, cut the UNM halftime lead to three, 33-30.
UNM and Notre Dame traded buckets for the second halfs first five minutes, as UNM maintained a three point lead, 39-36, with just under 15 minutes to play.
That is when the wheel’s fell off in Knoxville. The game turned, gradually yet decidely, as The Lobos suffered through a shooting drought of mammoth proportions, failing to score for nearly 12 minutes.
While Notre Dame was bothered by the Mountain West Conferences top defense, they were still able to net a handful of second half field goals, going on a 15-0 run and putting the game out of reach at 51-39 with 2:57 left.
The Lobos were led in scoring by Forest, whos scored all 12 of her points during an eight minute stretch in the first half. MWC Newcomer of the Year, Mandi Moore was the only other Lobo in double figures, with 10.
For Notre Dame, Ratay led the way with 14 points. The Nations Freshman of the Year, Jacqueline Batteast added 13.