Lobos fall in OT at Fresno State
FRESNO, Calif. – The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team nearly handed league-leading Fresno State their first loss in Mountain West play on Wednesday night, but UNM ultimately fell in overtime by a score of 84-81.
Entering the game, the Bulldogs (12-4, 5-0 MW) stood alone atop the MW standings as they were the last remaining unbeaten team in the league at 4-0. For much of the game on Wednesday night, the Lobos (9-8, 0-4 MW) positioned themselves to hand the Bulldogs their first conference loss of the season as they held leads at the end of each of the first three quarters.
After a back-and-forth first quarter that saw four lead changes and four tie scores, the Lobos emerged with a one-point lead, 17-16, thanks to a layup by Jayla Everett with two seconds left in the quarter.
Play early in the second quarter was also tightly-contested as the lead changed hands on a pair of occasions over the first two minutes of action. The last of those lead changes went in favor of the Lobos as Aisia Robertson buried a three-pointer at the 7:59 mark, giving the Lobos a 22-20 lead. Fresno State tied the score at 22-all at the 7:18 mark, but a layup by Jordan Hosey on the ensuing possession put the Lobos back on top.
Hosey, who scored a career-high 25 points in the game, scored the next two baskets for the Lobos as the team began to take hold of the game. The Lobos would remain out in front the remainder of the half and headed to the locker room with a four-point lead, 34-30.
In the third, the Lobos continued to keep the Bulldogs at bay while building up their lead. At the 5:41 mark, another Hosey layup put the Lobos up by 12, giving them their largest lead of the game to that point. The Bulldogs were able to cut the deficit down to seven points with just over a minute and a half left, but a 5-0 run to close out the quarter by the Lobos pushed the lead back out to 12 points, 55-43. Ahlise Hurst started the mini run with a three-pointer and it was another Hosey lay-in that capped it.
A pair of layups to open the fourth quarter for the Lobos, one by Antonia Anderson and one by Jaedyn De La Cerda, carried over the 5-0 run to close the third and gave the Lobos their largest lead of the game at 16, 59-43.
The Bulldogs would go on a 6-0 run in response and cut the lead down to 10 points with 6:51 left on the clock. A Hosey layup at the 6:36 mark made it a 12-point game, but on the ensuing possession Fresno State cut the Lobo lead to single digits on a three-pointer by Haley Cavinder. That was the first made three-pointer for the Bulldogs as they were 0-for-14 from deep prior to the make.
Hosey provided the answer once more the for the Lobos as a painter jumper pushed the lead back out to double digits with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bulldog rally continued and with just 16 seconds left they knotted the game at 69-all on pair of makes from the charity stripe by Hanna Cavinder.
The Lobos would have an opportunity to draw up the final play as the shot clock was turned off, but the potential game-winner drew iron and sent the game to overtime.
In the extra period, the Bulldogs grabbed the first lead on a jumper by Maddi Utti. A three-pointer by Hurst followed on the ensuing possession to give the Lobos a 72-71 lead. On the next trip down the court, Fresno State took a one-point lead with 3:56 left. The Bulldogs then were able to stay in front the remainder of overtime and came away with the 84-81 win.
Statistically the Lobos had three players score in double figures led by Hosey’s 25 points. Hurst was next in scoring with 17 and De La Cerda rounded out scoring with 12 points. Hosey also hauled in a team-high 13 rebounds to notch her fourth double-double of the season.
The Lobos will remain on the road for their next game as they will travel to Colorado Springs to take on Air Force. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 2 p.m.