Box Score | 2017-18 Season Statistics
FRESNO, Calif. — Never lead in regulation? No problem. New Mexico got a host of great performances, led by a triple-double from Cherise Beynon setting the UNM single-season assist in the process as the Lobos, which never led in the regulation, won its regular season finale 93-89 in overtime. The win pushed UNM to 22-9 overall, and secured a winning conference season at 10-8.
The Lobos ended the Mountain West season as the No. 6 seed, which was locked up before the ball was ever tipped on Friday. UNM will face the No. 11 seed, San José State, at 7 p.m. Pacific, 8 p.m. Mountain in the opening round of the Mountain West Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UNM trailed basically entire game, tying it just once at 2-2 until getting the game to overtime. UNM was down by as many as 17 in the first half at 46-29, and with 4:38 to go an Aly Gomez layup gave Fresno State a 79-69 lead with 4:38 to go, but UNM would close on a 10-0 run to force overtime.
The comeback started innocently enough when Tesha Buck, who scored a game-high 30 on the night, took a Beynon pass and scored with 4:22 to go to cut the Fresno State lead to eight. That pass led to Beynon’s ninth assist of the game, giving her 213 assists for the season, a single-season record for UNM.
UNM forced a miss that Beynon grabbed (giving her a triple-double) and she opened up a little space, took a pass back from Buck and scored and suddenly it was just a six-point game with 3:51 left. After a missed short-range shot from Fresno State’s Maddi Utty, Beynon grabbed the rebound, found Buck who canned just her second three of the night and UNM trailed 79-76.
UNM tied it with 1:21 left when Madi Washington backed home a tying three-pointer, and she set UNM up for a win in regulation when she stole the ball on the right wing with a minute to go. UNM was able to get off five shots in the final minute, but none went down, sending the contest to overtime.
UNM finally took its first lead of the game with 1:51 to go when Jaisa Nunn, who finished with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds, gave UNM an 85-84 lead. Candace White answered to give Fresno State the lead back at 86-85, but Beynon scored near the end of the shot clock with 1:01 left, and UNM would never trail again. With just over half a minute to go, Utti was fouled and had two free throws to either tie or take the lead, but she missed them both. UNM then sank all six of its free throws in the final 21 seconds, with just a Breanne Knishka three in response, giving UNM a hard-fought four-point win.
For most of the game is looked like Fresno State’s senior night was going to go as the script would have one expect, except for the fact the Fresno State had no seniors to honor. Still, the Bulldogs led the entire game, with UNM tying it once at 2-2. A pair of free throws 1:07 into the game gave Fresno State a 4-2 lead, and Fresno State pushed it to 46-29 with 3:36 to go in the first half. UNM did respond, closing the half on 9-2 run, not allowing a field goal, to keep it close at the break, 48-38.
UNM’s Beynon had 22 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in recording her third career triple-double and first since February 15, 2017 when she scored 15 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 10 assists against Fresno State in Dreamstyle Arena. Nunn also had 22 points along with 11 rebounds, and Buck scored 30 on 12-of-23 shooting, adding six helpers. The only other Lobo in double-figures was Madi Washington with 11.
UNM now heads to Vegas as it will face San José State in the opening round. UNM drew the Spartans after they lost 66-60 to Air Force in the season finale. A win against San José State would set up a late Tuesday match-up with third-seeded Wyoming, with tip at 8:30 p.m. Pacific and 9:30 p.m. Mountain.
NOTES: Buck’s two three-pointers extended her season-record total to 89 … Buck’s 30 points was the eighth time this season UNM has had a 30-point scorer (Buck twice and Beynon and Nunn three times each). Prior to the season, a 30-point scorer had happened just 20 times in program history … Beynon now has 510 points and Nunn has 498 in their quest to become the first Lobo teammates to ever score 500 points apiece in the same season … Beynon’s 510 points is now the fifth-highest single-season total, and she needs just right to pass Dionne Marsh for fourth … Jaisa’s double-double was her Mountain West-leading 17th … despite being on the road, UNM wore its home silver uniforms as Fresno State opted to wear red.