Lobos Pounce On Aggies, Win 56-27
Dec. 21, 2004
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico women’s basketball team defeated New Mexico State for the 18th consecutive time with a 56-27 victory before 9,526 fans at The Pit Tuesday night. Senior Lindsey Arndt led the Lobos with a game-high 12 points, while junior Jana Francis had nine points all in the second half. The Lobos improve to 8-1 for the season, while the Aggies fall to 4-6.
Eleven players got in the scoring column for the Lobos. In addition to Arndt and Francis, reigning Mountain West Player of the Week Abbie Letz poured in eight points and Dionne Marsh chipped in six points.
New Mexico shot just 38 percent from the floor (20-of-53), its second lowest total of the season. But once again UNM played stellar defense, limiting NMSU to 27 percent shooting (13-of-49), a season low for a UNM opponent. It marks the second straight game that the Lobos have held their opponent to under 30-percent shooting, as Arizona State shot just 29.5 percent in UNM’s win last Saturday. The 27 points are the least the Lobos have allowed since giving up 18 against Tennessee State on Dec. 5, 2003.
New Mexico overcame a slow start and outscored the Aggies, 37-14, in the second half. UNM hit seven of its first eight shots in the second half and began the half on a 14-2 run in the first five minutes.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, but the Lobos went into the break with a 19-13 lead. The Lobos only shot 29 percent (7-for-24) from the field in the half, a season low, but also held the Aggies to just 19 percent (6-for-31). The 13 points in the first half by NMSU were the fewest by a Lobo opponent this season. New Mexico State missed its first 12 shots of the contest and didn’t score until the 11:45 mark in the first half.
The Lobos return to action Friday, Dec. 31 to take on San Francisco at The Pit. The game time has been switched to a 4 p.m. start.
NOTES:
– Don Flanagan is now only one win away from his 200th career victory at the University of New Mexico. His record at the school is now 199-90. Flanagan accomplished another feat by capturing his 600th career victory as a head coach. Flanagan, who compiled a 401-13 record in 16 years at Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, is now 600-203 all-time as a head coach in his career.
– New Mexico now has won 18 in a row over New Mexico State. The Lobos hold a 31-21 lead in the overall series, including a 16-11 lead in Albuquerque.