FRESNO, CALIF. — The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team (5-6) claimed its second straight Mountain West opener with an 80-54 win over Fresno State (7-5) on Thursday night on the road. The win marks the second time in eight seasons that UNM has opened conference play 1-0 and just the second victory at the Save Mart Center in program history.
Junior Cherise Beynon led the Lobos with 20 points for her fourth game this season in which she has scored at least 20. The best player on the floor on the night, Beynon just missed her fourth double-double of the season, grabbing nine boards while also dishing six assists. Beynon was followed by redshirt-junior Alex Lapeyrolerie who scored 19 and senior Richelle van der Keijl who netted 16. The Lobos had three double-digit scorers compared to just one for Fresno State.
Senior Emilie Volk was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs (10 points) as the UNM defense was successful in shutting down Fresno State’s two best players. Junior Bego Faz Davalos, who was named to the 2016-17 Preseason All-Mountain West Team alongside UNM’s Beynon, entered the match averaging 16.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. The Lobos held the 6-3 center to just eight points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes. In addition, sophomore Candice White entered the game averaging 14.2 points per game and notched just seven on the night.
Freshman Mykiel Burleson got the Lobos off to a good start with a layup for the first two points of the game. The Bulldogs responded with one of their own from Faz Davalos, tying the game, before the Lobos reclaimed the lead and never looked back. Within the first three minutes, UNM was out to a four-point lead until a fast-break three-pointer from Beynon put the UNM up 10-3, forcing a Fresno State timeout. The squads traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter until UNM went on a 7-0 run over the last two minutes, capped by a last-second layup from senior Kianna Keller, to make it 22-13 UNM.
The second quarter saw UNM go up by 13 before Fresno State attempted a comeback, going on a 6-0 run over 1:24 to cut the deficit to six, 28-22. The Lobos responded with a 10-0 run over a little more than two minutes to make it a comfortable 41-25. UNM finished the first half up by 16, 47-31, shooting 48.7 percent to just 34.3 percent for the Bulldogs from the floor.
The Lobos were just three points short of scoring 50 points in the first half, a feat the squad has not achieved since January 4, 2005 against Morgan State.
UNM continued its well-balanced hot streak in the third quarter despite posting an uncommonly-high seven fouls in the frame. The Lobos outscored the Bulldogs 19-13, extending the lead to 22, 66-44, heading into the fourth.
Lapeyrolerie was UNM’s leading scorer in the final frame netting four points and finishing just one point away from her third 20-point game of the season. The Lobos went on an 8-0 run over the last 3:35 to clinch the 26-point victory.
Overall the Lobos shot 49.3 percent from the field compared to 33.9 percent for Fresno State. UNM outrebounded the Bulldogs 49-29, making the Lobos’ record 5-1 when outrebounding their opponent. UNM entered the contest ranked sixth in the NCAA in fewest fouls while Fresno State was ranked ninth in the category. The squads combined for 29 fouls on the night.
UNM also posted 46 points in the paint compared to 22 for Fresno State while also collecting 17 points off of turnovers to just five, 18 second-chance points to just two for the Bulldogs and 11 fast-break points to just two for Fresno State.
The Lobos look to remain undefeated in Mountain West play as they host San Diego State in New Year’s Eve action at WisePies Arena – The Pit on Saturday at 7 p.m.