New Mexico Women’s Basketball – In The Pit
Monday: 7 p.m., No. 5 Stanford Cardinal at New Mexico
On The Air: 610-AM with Joe Behrend
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By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Sometimes a game is as much about the opponent as it is about the team you come to support.
In a way, that’s the case for Yvonne Sanchez’s Lobos Monday night in The Pit. For sure, the crowd comes to back Lobos like Antiesha Brown, Alexa Chavez, Bryce Owens, etc.
But you also come to see Stanford.
You come to see the Cardinal team that beat Connecticut 88-86 in overtime this past Monday. You come to see a Top 10 team.
You come with hopes that maybe the Cardinal will fall to an upset like they did 87-81 in overtime to No. 10 Texas a few days after the Cardinal shocked UConn.
A Texas player said the win over Stanford – Texas’ first over a Top 10 team in more than five years – was an indication that the Longhorns’ program had been reestablished.
The Lobos are trying to do the same thing this season and Sanchez has her Lobos looking at a Top 20 program for the third straight time.
“You play games like this to get better,” said Sanchez. “Obviously, it’s a great challenge.”
And obviously Stanford is a program in that elite level of college basketball. They have won a national title. Coach Tara VanDerveer recruits at a high level and her Cardinal play at a high level.
But can they play at New Mexico’s mile-high level?
The Lobos biggest edge – maybe their only edge – is The Pit and not just the elevation of the sunken gym, but the passion in which Lobos take to this court and try to win for their special fans.
It will not be easy on Monday. The No. 5 Cardinal probably were wondering if that victory over Connecticut would propel them further up the Top 10 poll. And then came Texas which probably had VanDerveer talking about defense prior to visiting The Pit.
The Longhorns had four players in double figures – two post players and two guards. You need balance like that in order to put down the Cardinal.
You also need to play exceptional defense and really be concerned over Stanford guards Lili Thompson and Amber Orrange. Thompson is the big gun. She had 28 vs. Texas. She also hauled down seven boards against only two turnovers. She went 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. Orrange scored 15 points with four assists, three steals while going 5-of-5 from the line.
These two guards can take over games and control tempos.
The Cardinal like to run. They have scored 81, 88 and 96 vs. Boston College. Thompson has scored 28, 24 and 26 points. She went 9-of-13 from the floor in the win over Boston College. Stanford shot 64.9 percent from the floor in that roll. They had only two turnovers.
Thompson will bring a 26.0 average into The Pit. Orrange is at 14.3 points a game.
This duo gives Stanford a slick combination on the edge, but the Cardinal have size, too. The 6-foot-3 Erica McCall averages 8.3 points and 6-3 Kaylee Johnson hauls down 10.0 boards a game. The 6-3 Bonnie Samuelson averages 8.0 points. The Cardinal have six players over 6-3.
This Cardinal quickness up front plus this Cardinal size inside could create problems for the Lobos.
“We have to find points somewhere,” said Sanchez. “And I promise you we’ll play hard. But this is the kind of schedule we want to play.”
The best bets for Sanchez so far in UNM’s 0-3 start are Khadijah Shumpert and Antiesha Brown. Brown, with her 12.7 average, is athletic enough to score on anyone. Shumpert, also with a 12.7 average, could have more trouble inside against Stanford’s height.
Another obvious key is the play of the Lobos out front. UNM could benefit from some points and assists from Bryce Owens (9.0 scoring average), but Owens also will be called upon to come up with an exceptional defensive effort against the two Cardinal guards.
The Lobos probably will look to The Pit for some help, too. The place should be packed. All tickets are $2 – and it’s the Lobos – and it’s the Cardinal.