ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After claiming two straight wins over San José State and Air Force, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team’s two-game win streak came to end Saturday afternoon as the Lobos fell 81-60 to Boise State in WisePies Arena.
Senior forward Khadijah Shumpert led the Lobos with 23 points, scoring 19 of those points in the second half. She was 6-for-11 from the field and 11-for-14 from the free throw line. She also finished with three blocks. Freshman Emily Lines came off the bench to score a career-high 15 points. She was 5-for-11 from the field, 1-for-5 from the three and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Sophomore Cherise Beynon finished third on the squad with 13 points, her eighth straight game in double-figures. She was 4-for-14 from the field, 2-for-4 from the three and 3-for-6 from the free throw line. Junior Kianna Keller finished with three blocks.
The Lobos got off to a rough start in the first quarter as Boise State went on a 10-2 run to start the game. The Lobos called their first timeout of the game but a Boise State couldn’t miss from beyond the arc, shooting 80 percent from the three (4-for-5) and 77 percent from the field to take a 22-4 lead with under three minutes left in the quarter. The Lobos managed to bring the game within 12 by the end of the first after Lines sunk her first and only three of the game with four seconds remaining on the clock.
The second quarter was much the same as the first as Boise State progress their lead up to 18. The Broncos kept shooting well, sinking 8-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from the three. New Mexico’s defense struggled to get a stop as the Broncos led by 25 with 1:16 left in the half. Back-to-back twos in the final minute of the half from Lines brought the Lobos within 21, the Broncos leading 48-27 at half.
New Mexico brought more energy in the third quarter. Shumpert put together two three-point plays, sinking both layups and free throws in the six minute mark. A Bryce Owens three put the Lobos within 13 with 2:37 and the momentum in the Lobos hands. Lines picked up an offensive rebound and tried to put it back up but was fouled. She made both free throws to bring the Lobos within 11, Broncos leading 59-48 with 1:29 left in the third. But Boise State responded with a three to put them back up by 14.
The fourth started off with a good free throw from the Beynon to bring the Lobos within 12 but Boise State’s low post presence paced the rest of the way for the Broncos, outscoring the Lobos in the final quarter 19-11.
New Mexico’s bench outscored the Broncos 19-9. The Lobos shot 31 percent (18-59) from the field, 27 percent from the three (4-15) and 71 percent (20-28) from the free throw line. Boise State finished the game shooting 55 percent (31-56) from the field, 48 percent (10-21) from the three and 64 percent (9-14) from the free throw line. The Broncos out rebounded the Lobos 41-30 and finished with 23 assists to the Lobos 13.
The Lobos will be on the road next week, heading to UNLV for the second matchup of the season. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. MT and the game will be available live on the Mountain West Network. Fans can also listen to the game on Albuquerque’s local stats 610 AM KNML. They will return to WisePies Arena next Saturday, hosting San Diego State for the first matchup against the Aztecs this season. Tipoff for that game is set for 2 p.m. For tickets, visit GoLobos.com or call (505) 925-LOBO.