Lobos fall in overtime at Nevada
RENO, Nev. – The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team came back from a nine-point halftime deficit to take a lead just over halfway through the third quarter. The Lobos held that lead until late in the fourth quarter when Nevada tied the game and sent it to overtime where the Wolf Pack ultimately out lasted the Lobos 86-78.
After absorbing a 24-point second quarter by Nevada that saw the Wolf Pack (14-12, 7-8 MW) take their aforementioned nine-point lead into the locker room, the Lobos (14-14, 5-10 MW) answered back with a 25-point third quarter and out-scored Nevada 25-11 in the period.
That third quarter saw the Lobos quickly pull to within four points, 47-43, thanks to a 7-2 run over the first two minutes of action. The two teams then traded baskets to keep it a four-point game with 7:11 on the clock.
Over the next three minutes of play, the Lobos went on a 6-0 scoring run to take a 51-49 lead at the 4:21 mark of the third quarter. A layup by Marguerite Effa at the 3:30 mark knotted the score at 51-all, but the Lobos would go on to rip off a 10-2 run over the next two and a half minutes to take their largest lead of the game at eight points, 61-53, with 1:05 remaining on the clock in the third.
A sequence of a split trip to the line and a put-back on the charity miss by the Wolf Pack with 15 seconds left cut the Lobos lead to five points, 61-56, heading into the fourth quarter.
With just under a minute gone in the fourth quarter, the Lobos rebuilt a seven-point lead at the 9:13 mark. A Wolf Pack 6-0 scoring run followed and cut the lead down to a single point, 65-64, with 7:35 on the clock.
The Lobos withstood that surge and got a layup from Jordan Hosey at the 6:39 mark to stay ahead and take a three-point lead, 67-64. Over the next three minutes of game time, the Lobos would extend their lead back out to seven points, this time with just over three and a half minutes remaining in regulation.
Unfortunately, the Lobos were unable to add to their score and lead the remainder of the quarter as the Wolf Pack went on a methodical 7-0 run to close out the game and force overtime.
No strangers to overtime, the game on Wednesday night was the Lobos’ fourth overtime game this season, all coming on the road and in conference play. Prior to Wednesday, the Lobos were 1-2 in such games and were coming off a win their last time out at Wyoming.
In the extra period, the Wolf Pack were able to take strike first right at a minute in and did not look back, leading the entirety of overtime. Free throws down the stretch helped the Wolf Pack come away with the eight-point win as they made five of their last six over the final 35 seconds of the game.
The Lobos ended the game with four players in double figures and were led by Jaedyn De La Cerda’s 21 points. It was her sixth 20+ point game this season and second-straight. Behind De La Cerda in scoring was Jordan Hosey and her 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Hosey also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds as she posted her ninth double-double of the season. Ahlise Hurst added 13 points and Aisia Robertson rounded out double-figure scoring with 12 points.
The Lobos will now prepare to head home for their final two home games of the season. The first will take place on Saturday, February 22 against Boise State. That game, which tips off at 2 p.m. (MT), will be the Lobos’ annual Lobos Love Pink Game. Two days later on Monday night, the Lobos will close out their time at home against Air Force. With a tip-off time of 7 p.m. (MT), the Air Force game will be Senior Night for the two seniors on this year’s team, Jordan Hosey and Aisia Robertson. Those two will be honored post-game.