2016 WBI Bracket | UNM Game Notes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – For the second straight year, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2016 Women’s Basketball Invitational and has earned the No. 2 seed in the West Region. The Lobos will face No. 7 seed Weber State, from the Big Sky, in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational as the pairings were announced Monday night.
TICKETS
Due to a previously scheduled event in WisePies Arena, the game is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday night at Johnson Center located on UNM Main Campus. All tickets are $10 and available at the Lobo Ticket Office inside WisePies Arena. On game day, tickets also will be available at Popejoy Hall starting at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are also available for purchase at unmtickets.com.
PARKING
Fans will have the option to pay for parking on Main Campus (by the Johnson Center) or utilize free parking with complimentary shuttle service from South Campus. Fans will be able to park (for free) in the stadium west lot (west of University Stadium) and use the complimentary shuttle, starting at 5 p.m. Gates will open at 6 p.m. with tipoff set for 7 p.m. The free shuttle will bring fans back to the stadium west lot at the conclusion of the game.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
This will be the 11th matchup between the Wildcats and the Lobos. UNM owns the all-time series record 8-2. The last time the two teams met was on Nov. 27, 2012 when the Lobos defeated the Wildcats 67-44. Under head coach Yvonne Sanchez, the Lobos are 1-0. This is the second straight year the Lobos have played in the WBI. Last season, the Lobos won the first round game over North Dakota but fell in the second round to Oral Roberts.
ABOUT WEBER STATE
The Wildcats come into the WBI with a 20-11 record, the first season with 20 wins since 2002-03. They finished sixth in the Big Sky with an 11-7 conference record and are coming off a quarterfinal, buzzer-beater loss to Big Sky Conference three-seed Idaho.
The Wildcats average 69.7 points per game and are shooting 42 percent from the field, 32 percent from the three and 69 percent from the free throw line. They hold their opponents to 63.9 points per game and to a 43 shooting percentage from the field. In the rebounding category the Wildcats average 34.3 rpg to their opponents 37.7 rpg.
Among the squad, they have four guards averaging in double-figures. Senior guard Regina Okoye leads the way with 16.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg. She is shooting 50 percent fom the field and 37 percent from the three point line. Junior guard Deeshyra Thomas is second on the team in scoring at 13.5 ppg. She is shooting 47 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three.
ABOUT THE LOBOS
The Lobos come into their second straight WBI tournament with a 17-14 record. They are coming off the Mountain West Tournament where they defeated SJSU in the quarterfinals but fell to nationally ranked and top seed of the tournament Colorado State.
Going into the tournament, the Lobos are shooting 38 percent from the field and 28 percent from the three. They are averaging 61.2 ppg and holding their opponents to 57.1 ppg. They average 39.2 rpg to their opponents 35.9 rpg.here
Senior forward Khadijah Shumpert leads the team with 14.7 ppg and 6.0 rpg. She is shooting a team-best 52 percent from the field and 76 percent from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Cherise Beynon is second on the team in points per game at 12.4. She is shooting 33 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three point line.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
The game will be streamed live on the web on the Mountain West Network. Fans can watch the game live here. Fans can also listen on the Lobo Radio Network here, as Josh Suchon will give you the play-by-play. Live stats are available, click here .