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Lobos close out regular season with 54-52 win at Utah State

LOGAN, Utah – The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team will be headed to the upcoming Mountain West Tournament on a high note as the Lobos wrapped up regular season play with a 54-52 win on the road at Utah State on Thursday night.
 
Playing each other for first time this season due to the unbalanced MW schedule, the Lobos (15-16, 6-12 MW) found themselves down early as the Aggies (7-22, 2-16 MW) grabbed a 16-8 lead through the first quarter of play. In that opening period, the Lobos struggled offensively and shot just 20% overall from the floor.
 
The script was flipped in the second quarter, however, as the Lobos switched to a zone defense for most of the period. That change yielded positive results as the Aggies were the ones who shot just 20% that quarter (3-of-15). None of their makes from the field were from three-point range as well. While the Lobo defense was making stops, the offense started to get going.
 
In the second quarter, the Lobos would out-score the Aggies 19-6 and grabbed a five-point lead heading into the locker room, 27-22. A big sequence that aided the Lobos comeback in the second quarter was a 5-0 run from the 7:37 mark to the 6:16 mark. That run cut the Lobos’ deficit in half, from 10 down to five.
 
The Aggies broke that mini spurt at the 5:49 mark, but the Lobos would then go on a 12-0 run to close out the quarter and take the aforementioned five-point lead into the break.
 
In the third quarter, Utah State drew to within two points at the 6:37 mark, but a lightning quick 5-0 burst by the Lobos gave them their largest lead of the game to that point, seven points, 34-27. Later in the quarter, the Lobos were able to take an eight-point lead on a couple of occasions. The last of those came right at the end of the quarter as Shaiquel McGruder came away with an offensive rebound following a shot attempt to beat the shot clock. McGruder then put the offensive board away for a bucket.
 
That late third quarter basket would prove extremely important as the Aggies would get a desperation three to fall at the final horn in regulation.
 
Leading up to that, the Aggies were playing from behind and at one point trimmed a 10-point deficit down to three points with 5:00 left in the game. At the 1:28 mark, the Aggies once more pulled to within three points. On the Lobos’ ensuing possession however, Corina Carter got a clutch layup to fall with 55 seconds remaining on the clock.
 
Following a turnover by Utah State at the 46 second mark, the Aggies were forced to begin fouling the Lobos. After four-straight fouls, the Lobos were finally in the bonus. Ahlise Hurst would split the trip to the line, but gave the Lobos a two-possession lead, 52-46.
 
On the Aggies’ next trip down the court, the Lobo lead was cut in half and made a one-possession game with 37 seconds as Hailey Bassett drained a three-pointer.
 
Now the Lobos were in a position to drain the game clock down to about seven seconds left and took most of the 30-second shot clock before hoisting a three-pointer. That shot did not fall and went out of bounds, but was last touched by the Aggies.
 
Jordan Hosey was then fouled on the Lobos’ ensuing in-bounds play and went to the free throw line. At the charity stripe, Hosey was money when it mattered and sunk both attempts to give the Lobos a five-point lead with just over three seconds left.
 
Following Hosey’s two makes at the line, Utah State raced down the court and got a shot off that also went in from three-point range as time expired to bring the game to its final score of 54-52.
 
Statistically, the Lobos had three players score in double figures with Jordan Hosey leading the way with 15 points. Hosey also notched her 10th double-double of the season with a team-high 13 rebounds. Hurst was next in scoring with 12 points, McGruder rounded out double-figure scoring with 10 points off the bench. MCGruder was also perfect from the floor going 4-of-4 overall and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.
 
The Lobos will now prepare for their opening game of the Mountain West Tournament. The Lobos will enter as the No. 9-seed and will take on Nevada, who earned the No. 8-seed. That game will open up the entire MW Tournament and will have a 3 p.m. (MT) tip-off on Sunday, March 1. All games in the tournament will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.