Lobos grind out 69-51 win against UTEP
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team showed a ton of resolve on Wednesday night as they overcame a slow start in the first quarter to ultimately run away from visiting UTEP en route to a 69-51 victory in front of over 4,400 fans inside Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit.
The aforementioned slow start saw the Lobos (6-1) face a 13-point deficit, 15-2, with 4:29 to play in the first quarter. During that early stretch, UNM was just 1-of-6 shooting from the field and 0-for-4 from long range, while the Miners (2-6) were nearly perfect offensively going 6-of-7 from the field and 1-of-1 from three-point land.
A pair of free throws at the 4:20 mark from Jaedyn De La Cerda broke up the 15-2 run by the Miners. Over the remainder of the quarter, the Lobos began to climb back into the game and pulled to within nine points, 19-10, by the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter was dominated by the Lobos as UNM outscored the Miners 21-8. With 3:15 left before the half, the Lobos took their first lead of the game on a painted jumper by Jaisa Nunn. Prior to that, the Lobos snapped an 0-for-11 streak from long range as Jayla Everett buried a three to bring the game to a three-point deficit for the Lobos. Aisia Robertson followed soon thereafter with a three of her own to knot the game at 23-all.
Jayla Everett for 3!!!! 7-0 run for the Lobos pulls the score to within 3, 23-20 with 4:18 to go second quarter #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/PRAcdpAsVa
— Lobo Women’s Basketball (@UNMLoboWBB) December 6, 2018
Aisia ties it with a THREE!!! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/S2fQNUJow6
— Lobo Women’s Basketball (@UNMLoboWBB) December 6, 2018
That go-ahead flurry of scoring for the Lobos was a part of a larger 14-0 run that began at the 6:18 mark of the second quarter and ended with 2:49 to play in the same period. That 14-0 run saw the Lobos turn a 10-point deficit into a four-point lead. It also mirrored the Miners’ run in the first quarter as the Lobos were 6-of-7 overall from the floor and 2-of-2 from distance.
UNM would end the half with a four-point advantage, 31-27.
Early in the third quarter, UTEP kept the game within reach, but after the halfway point of the quarter their offense stalled thanks in part to spirited defensive effort by the Lobos. The improved defensive success led to more offensive opportunities for the Lobos and they were able to build a double-digit lead by quarter’s end, 46-36.
The final quarter featured much of the same as the Lobos grew their lead out to as large as 21 points with less than two minutes to play. In the fourth, UNM shot 50% overall from the floor (10-of-20) to bring their percentage for the game to 42% (29-of-69).
The Lobos will now take to the road for their next two games. The first of those will take place this coming Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz. as the Lobos will play Northern Arizona. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 2 p.m. (MT). The following Saturday, UNM will head south to Las Cruces to take on the Aggies of New Mexico State. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 2 p.m. (MT) as well.