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Lobos Claim Top Spot in MWC With First Ever Win at Utah, 70-63

Feb. 13, 2005

Box Score

The streak is one. Winless in its first 26 tries against Utah in Salt Lake City, the University of New Mexico broke open a close game with deadly long-range shooting early in the second half to run past the Utes 70-63 in a contest involving the top teams in the Mountain West Conference.

New Mexico improves to 19-3 overall and now has outright possession of first place in the league at 8-1. The Lobos also made a statement about getting back into the national rankings. UNM started the week with enough votes for the 26th position in the Associated Press poll. The Utes fall to 18-6 overall and 7-2 in conference play.

The Lobos sweep the season series against Utah for the first time in program history, increasing their overall winning streak to five games. UNM beat the Utes for the fourth straight time.

Leading just 30-28 at the break, Lobo junior Abbie Letz capped a 9-0 run with a 3 to provide New Mexico with a 49-38 advantage with 12:50 left. After a Kim Smith basket at the Utah end, Letz buried a 23-footer to ignite a 7-0 burst as the Lobos erupted for a 56-40 margin with just over nine minutes remaining to play.

The Utes were unable to cut the deficit to single digits until Shona Thorburn knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:03 to go. Thorburn finished with a game-high 27 points.

After shooting 55% in the first half, the Lobos knocked down 8 of their first 12 attempts in the second period, including their first four 3-point attempts, two apiece by Letz and sophomore guard Katie Montgomery.

New Mexico shot 60% (9 of 15) from 3-point on the afternoon, tying for the 3rd-best single-game accuracy in school history.

Montgomery, making her second straight start, scored a team-high 18 points just as she did Thursday at Air Force. She also grabbed a career-best 7 rebounds and added 6 assists. The league’s most accurate 3-point shooter at nearly 48% on the season, Montgomery converted 4 of 7 tries from long range. Letz scored 10 of her 13 points in the decisive early minutes of the second half.

The Lobos ended the game shooting 49% (19-39) from the field, but unselfish play and solid ball movement resulted in 17 assists on those 19 baskets.

The UNM defense was just as impressive. Utah was held to just 33% (20 of 60) from the floor, including 32% (8-25) from beyond the arc, and there weren’t many easy looks The Utes came into the game shooting 42% on the season.

One area New Mexico was not fundamentally sound was on the glass and that’s the only reason the score was not more lopsided. Although UNM trailed the rebound totals just 35-33, it was dominated on the offensive end. The Utes gathered 17 offensive rebounds, converting 13 points off those second chances.

The Lobos opened with a 14-7 lead on the strength of Montgomery’s two 3-pointers. The Utes answered with a 12-4 run to take their first lead at 19-18 following consecutive treys by Lana Sitterud.

Senior Mandi Moore was back in the starting lineup – her 116th career start – after missing the Air Force game with an injury to her left eye. Moore suffered the injury in last Saturday’s game against Colorado State.

Fitted with stylish protective glasses, Moore finished with 8 points – all from the free-throw line in 10 attempts – plus five rebounds and five assists in a team-high 38 minutes of play. The only time Moore came out was late in the first half when Letz inadvertently whacked her in the face after grabbing a rebound.

Senior Lindsey Arndt, who was scoreless with just two rebounds last year at Salt Lake City, finished with 10 points and four rebounds. Freshman post Dionne Marsh, the Lobos’ leading scorer in conference games, added 13 points despite being in foul trouble much of the game.

The Lobos’ next game is Saturday at BYU. Tipoff is 2 p.m.