Lobos close out regular season at Utah State
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| NEW MEXICO LOBOS 14-16 (5-12 MW) |
UTAH STATE AGGIES 7-21 (2-15 MW) |
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Thursday, February 27 | 7 p.m. (MT) |
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Tipping Off
Heading into the final regular season game of the 2019-20 season, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team will be looking to snap a three-game skid and build up some momentum for the upcoming Mountain West Tournament.
The Lobos will enter Thursday night’s game 14-16 overall and 5-11 in Mountain West play. In their most-recent game, the Lobos fell at home to Air Force.
Statistically, the Lobos possess one of the top scoring offenses in the conference as they average 76.3 ppg. Defensively, the Lobos are allowing 72.5 ppg and rank 11th in the MW. Individually, the Lobos have three players averaging double figures in scoring and are led by Ahlise Hurst at 13.8 ppg.
Utah State enters play with a 7-21 overall record and a 2-15 mark in conference play. They are locked in as the No. 11 seed in the upcoming MW Tournament. The Aggies are coming off a 76-38 loss on the road at San José State
in their last game. That loss stretched their losing streak to four games. The last win for the Aggies was an upset 58-56 win on the road at Boise State back on February 8.
Statistically, the Aggies average 55.8 points per game offensively and allow an average of 66.2 ppg on defense. Their scoring offense ranks 11th in the MW and their scoring defense ranks eighth Individually, the Aggies have three players averaging double figures with Hailey Bassett leading the way at 13.1 ppg.
Seniors Shine on Senior Night
Aisia Robertson and Jordan Hosey, the two seniors on this year’s team, combined to score 43 points and received a well-deserved standing ovation upon their respective exits in the closing seconds of the game vs. Air Force. Hosey, who is in her lone season as a Lobo, scored 13 points and did most of her scoring damage in the first half as she was
perfect from the field, going 5-of-5 and scoring 10 points.
Playing in her second season for the Lobos, Robertson got off to a slow start offensively with just two points in the first half. Typical of her career path at UNM in coming back from a season-ending ACL injury late last season, Robertson fought back in the game and turned in a career performance as she ended with a career-high 30 points. Robertson’s previous career-high in scoring was 28 points against Houston back in 2018
Jaedyn DLC Breaking out
After a two-game stretch against Colorado State and UNLV where she went 0-for-11 overall, 0-for-7 from three-point range and scored just four points, Jaedyn De La Cerda has been on fire over her last nine games. In that time De La Cerda is averaging 17.7 ppg and is shooting 44% overall (59-of-133) and 44% (25-of-57) from beyond the arc. With the hot streak, De La Cerda went from averaging 8.2 ppg to 11.2 and is now the third-leading scorer for the Lobos.
Hosey Honing It In
Senior transfer Jordan Hosey has been coming into her own in her lone season as a Lobo and over the recent action has become one of the top scoring threats on the team while also remaining the top rebounder. Over her last 16 games, Hosey has averaged 13.1 ppg and has hauled in an average of 9.6 rpg as well. That production has resulted in double-doubles stacking up for the Houston native as she has registered eight in her last 16 games. Hosey is also now the team’s second-leading scorer on the season at 12.0 ppg and is the team-leader in rebounds at 8.3 rpg.
Downtown from Down Under
In her freshman year, Ahlise Hurst showed flashes of being a weapon behind the arc, but lacked consistency as she shot 27% (49-of-183) from deep. This year, however, Hurst has made 85 three-pointers and is knocking them down at a 36% clip (85-of-229). In five games this season, Hurst has made five or more three-pointers and has scored at least 20 points in four of those games as well. She is currently leading the team in scoring at 13.8 ppg and is fifth in the NCAA in three-pointers made.
Double-Double Tracker
1. Antonia Anderson……….. 14 pts/11rebs……………. vs. NAU (11-8-19)
2. Jordan Hosey……………… 19 pts/13 reb………….. at UTEP (11-19-19)
3. Jordan Hosey……………… 17 pts/13 rebs………….vs. LMU (12-19-19)
4. Jordan Hosey……………… 16 pts/11 rebs……vs. San José St. (1-1-20)
5. Jordan Hosey……………… 25 pts/13 rebs……….at Fresno St. (1-8-20)
6. Jayla Everett……………….. 10 pts/10 assts…….. at Air Force (1-11-20)
7. Jordan Hosey……………… 13 pts/15 rebs…vs. Colorado St. (1-15-20)
8. Jordan Hosey……………… 16 pts/13 rebs….. at San José St. (1-22-20)
9. Aisia Robertson………….. 14 pts/12 assts…. at San José St. (1-22-20)
10. Jordan Hosey……………… 16 pts/12 rebs………. vs. Nevada (1-25-20)
11. Antonia Anderson……….. 12 pts/10 rebs………. vs. Nevada (1-25-20)
12. Jordan Hosey……………… 12 pts/10 rebs………vs. Fresno St. (2-1-20)
13. Jordan Hosey……………… 14 pts/13 rebs…………at Nevada (2-19-20)
Broncos Pull Away in 4th Quarter
A remarkably high second-half shooting percentage by Boise State, especially in the fourth quarter, helped carry the Broncos to a 95-76 win over the Lobos. In that second half, the Broncos seemingly could not miss as they shot 71% (22-of-31) overall from the floor and were 64% (7-of-11) from three-point range. That extremely efficient shooting output in the second half was bolstered by a fourth quarter that saw the Broncos shoot 77% overall (10-of-13) and 4-of-4 from three-point range. After the Lobos pulled to within a point early in the 4th quarter, the Broncos missed just two shots from the field and outscored the Lobos 22-4 over the final 8:40 of the game.
4th OT Game On the Road in MW Play
The Lobos came back from a nine-point halftime deficit to take a lead just over halfway through the third quarter on the road at Nevada. The Lobos held that lead until late in the fourth quarter when the Wolf Pack tied the game and sent it to overtime where they eventually outlasted the Lobos, 86-78. No strangers to overtime, the game at Nevada was the Lobos’ fourth overtime game this season, all coming on the road and in conference play.
3-Ball Keys win at UNLV
For the first time since 2011, the Lobos went into the Cox Pavilion and came away with a win. A major key to the Lobos picking up the 80-64 win was success beyond the arc. In the game against the Rebels, the Lobos made 12 three-pointers and shot them at a 52% clip as they attempted 23. Coming into the game, the Rebels had the 2nd-best three-point defense in the NCAA allowing their opponents to make just 23.3%.
Slow Start Too Much To Overcome
The Lobos were unable to overcome an early first quarter deficit against San Diego State in their most-recent game and ultimately fell to the Aztecs by a score of 67-58. The Aztecs raced out to an 8-0 lead through the first two and a half minutes then grabbed a double-digit lead at the 6:31 mark. The Aztecs were able to maintain the double-digit lead the remainder of the quarter and grabbed a lead as large as 19 points. The Lobos out-scored SDSU in the second and third quarters to keep the game within reach, but the Rebels were able to hold on in the fourth quarter.
Lobos win tight game at Wyoming
Coming into the game at Wyoming, the Lobos had played seven games total and five in the Mountain West that had been decided by four points or less. The Lobos’ record in those game was 1-6 overall and 0-5 in league games. That changed in Laramie, however, as the Lobos grinded out a 74-71 win in overtime over the Cowgirls. The overtime game was also the Lobos’ third of the season with all coming in conference play. The subsequent victory was their first.
Bulldogs Bite Back Late
The last time the Lobos hit the hardwood, they were in position to hand Fresno State their first loss in conference play. In that game, the Lobos led for nearly the entirety of the game, but the resilient Bulldogs surged late in the fourth quarter and eventually upended the Lobos, 84-72.
Wild Finish at SDSU
A near epic comeback took place for the Lobos in the waining seconds of their game at San Diego State this past Wednesday. Down eight points with 25 seconds left on the fourth quarter clock, the Lobos roared back and ripped off a 9-0 run over the next 16 seconds of game time to take a one-point lead with nine seconds left. With five seconds left, SDSU regained the lead with a pair of makes from the free throw line. Able to inbound the ball and get into the front court quickly, the Lobos had a chance a game-winning shot, but the attempt did not fall.
Navigating Nevada
The Lobos picked up a big bounce-back win against Nevada this past Saturday and there was little doubt in it as well as the Lobos cruised to a 20-point victory. Fueling the rout was an extremely efficient offensive effort as the Lobos shot an even 50% overall from the floor (35-of-70). Four Lobos ended the game in double figures and there were also a pair of double-doubled turned in by Jordan Hosey and Antonia Anderson.
Shootout in San José
In the second meeting of the season between UNM and San José State, both teams once more lit up the scoreboard as they each reached the 80-point mark and combined for 174 points. The high-scoring affair ended with a four-point win at home for San José, 89-85. The previous meeting saw the two teams combine for 161 points and resulted in a one-point victory for the Spartans in Albuquerque, 81-80.
Resilient Finish vs. Spartans
Down by 12 points at halftime thanks to a three-point barrage by San José State that saw the Spartans hit 12 three-pointers in the first half, the Lobos displayed a ton of resolve in the second half and nearly overcame the early deficit. The Lobos would out-score the Spartans 43-35 in the second half and pulled as close as two points with 2:39 left in the game.
Third Quarter Three’s Lift Lobos Past CSU
Trailing by a point at halftime against Colorado State, the Lobos came out of the locker room hot from beyond the arc as their first six made field goals in the third quarter were three-pointers. That unbelievable run of long-range shooting turned that one-point deficit into a 10-point lead and gave the Lobos all the momentum in the game. The Lobos would go on to secure an 11-point win, 73-62.
Lobos Take Off at Air Force
After starting 0-4 in Mountain West play for the first time since 2011-12, the Lobos notched their first MW victory this past Saturday at Air Force with a 75-53 win. The winless start prior to the Air Force game is truly misleading and could easily be flipped as the combined margin of defeat across the four games was just 12 points and two of the losses were by a single point. Additionally, during that stretch, the Lobos faced teams that were a combined 15-5 through that point.
Lobos Clipped Late by Upstart Spartans
In their first game following the holiday break, the Lobos entered back into MW action against upstart San José State. The Lobos held a double-digit halftime lead, but a furious second half comeback by the Spartans brought the game down to the wire. Over the final two minutes of action, the lead changed hands four times with three of those coming over the final 32 seconds. San José ended up being on the positive side of the final lead change and edged the Lobos by a point, 81-80.
Hoop-Filled Week Closes out 2019
The final week of action in 2019 was jam-packed full of basketball for the Lobos as they played four games in five days. The first two games of that stretch saw the Lobos play some of their best basketball of the year offensively as they combined to score 193 points and knocked down 29 three-pointers in blowout wins over New Mexico State and Providence. Unfortunately, the final two games did not see the same kind of success as the Lobos lost a one-point game to Loyola Marymount and then suffered a double-digit loss to Ball State to conclude the week.
Rio Grande Rivalry Rout
The final edition of the 2019-20 Rio Grande Rivalry turned out to be the most lopsided outcome in series history. In a rivalry series that dates back to 1975 and now spans 80 games, the Lobos posted the largest margin of victory against New Mexico State as they routed the Aggies 107-53 for a 54-point margin of victory and in the process securing a season-sweep. The margin put up by the Lobos in the game was 20 points better than the previous mark of 34 points done back in 2006 when UNM beat NMSU 81-47. It was also tied for the fifth-largest margin of victory for the Lobos all-time.
Lobos Hit Reset Button vs. NNMC
After hitting a rough patch over their three games prior, the UNM women’s basketball team got a reset opportunity in their game against Northern New Mexico on December 10. The Lobos were clearly the better team from the outset and the outcome was never in doubt. That allowed for the Lobos to create balance and opportunities for their roster. Eleven players logged minutes in the game with the most being 26 and the lowest being 12. Additionally, all 11 players scored in the game.
Battle in Boise
Earlier than most years, Mountain West play began in December and the first conference game of the season featured a marquee matchup between the University of New Mexico and Boise State women’s basketball teams. Picked to finish first and second respectively in the MW Preseason Predicted Order of Finish, the early season clash lived up to its billing in Boise as the game went to overtime and saw Boise edge UNM by a point, 83-82.
Lobos Answer the Call in Cancun Challenge
Under the leadership of head coach Mike Bradbury, the UNM women’s basketball team have been returning to national prominence and with their performance against a pair of Power 5 teams in Cancun, the Lobos are proving that they are poised to compete with some of the top flight programs in the country. Overall, the Lobos went 1-1 in the Cancun Challenge as they grinded out a 71-68 win over Missouri and showed resiliency and competitiveness against then-ranked No. 23 West Virginia in a 71-60 defeat.