New Mexico Lassos Cowgirls 62-49
Feb. 3, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Senior Lindsey Arndt scored 17 points and hit a pair of key 3-pointers in the second half to thwart potential Wyoming comebacks as New Mexico held off the Cowgirls 62-49. UNM improves to 16-3 overall and stays tied with Utah atop the Mountain West Conference standings at 5-1.
Wyoming falls to 12-7 and 3-3 in league play.
The Cowgirls roared back from an early 17-point deficit to trim the Lobos’ halftime lead to 34-28. UW cut it to 38-34, but Arndt countered with a three. After consecutive baskets by Wyoming trimmed the UNM margin to three at 41-38, Arndt triggered an 8-0 Lobo run with another trey. The Cowgirls never seriously threatened again.
Coming off a 20-point game last Saturday at San Diego State, Arndt set a career-high with four 3-pointers, missing just once from long range. She also converted 5 of 6 free throws as the Lobos knocked down 13 of 15 shots from the line for a season-high accuracy of 87%. Arndt is 7 of 8 from 3-point range the past two games.
The Lobo cause was also aided by sophomore Katie Montgomery’s defense on Wyoming senior guard Ashley Elliott. After Elliott’s fourth 3-pointer of the game cut the UNM lead to four in the second period, Montgomery never allowed the UW sharpshooter to make another basket. Elliot finished with 19 points, but scored just one free throw over the final 14 minutes.
Wyoming freshman Hanna Zavecz led all performers with 20 points and 10 rebounds as Zavecz and Elliott combined for all but 10 of the Cowgirls’ points.
Lobo freshman Dionne Marsh had 15 points and 8 rebounds while junior Abbie Letz contributed 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting, and 6 boards.
Tied at 5-all, the Lobos scored 17 straight points to open a 22-5 advantage. Arndt started the run with a 3-pointer and added another as UNM looked to run away with it. The Cowgirls went nearly eight minutes without a point, missing nine shots and committing five turnovers during their drought.
Led by Elliott and Zavecz, Wyoming pared the Lobo lead to 32-28 and trailed by just six at intermission. The duo combined for all but three of Wyoming’s first-half points.
New Mexico hosts Colorado State Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m