Bradbury’s team cold again in final delivery
The Senior Day script almost played out perfectly for the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team.
The Wyoming Cowgirls shot a hole in the ending.
UNM scratched its way back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter and had a shot to win in the closing seconds Saturday in the Pit. Alex Lapeyrolerie’s off-balance 3-pointer came up far short, however, and Wyoming escaped with a key 60-58 Mountain West victory.
It was a frustrating finish for the Lobos (15-13, 10-7), who celebrated Senior Day immediately afterward. Starters Kianna Keller and Richelle van der Keijl and three-year Lobo Josie Greenwood received standing ovations after addressing a large contingent of fans among the announced 5,239 in attendance who stayed for the ceremony.
The contest came down to one thing — 3-point shooting. Wyoming (19-8, 11-5) buried 12 of them to UNM’s five. New Mexico made three more field goals than did the Cowgirls and had a 19-2 edge on fast-break points, but …
“It’s the same old song,” said Lobos coach Mike Bradbury, whose
team was 5-for-22 from 3-point range. “When (the Cowgirls) got open shots they made ’em. When we got open shots we missed ’em.
“We outrebounded them (40-36), defended them well, got open shots with our offense, did everything you’re supposed to do to win a game. But until we make shots, it’s going to be hard to beat a good team.”
Van der Keijl racked up 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead UNM, but a span of cold shooting midway through the second half ultimately spoiled things for the home team. Wyoming took full advantage, hitting five 3s during a 21-6 run that gave the Cowgirls a 55-44 lead with 2:44 left.
Freshman Selale Kepnec, who had appeared in just 10 previous games for Wyoming, went 4-for-7 from 3-point range and shared her team’s scoring honors with 12 points.
The Lobos, who employed just six players Saturday, did not go down quietly. Laneah Bryan banked in a 3-pointer, Lapeyrolerie hit back-toback 3s (on a 3-for-16 shooting day), and van der Keijl converted a three-point play with 11 seconds left. Suddenly, the 11-point deficit was down to 59-58.
“The fight was there,” Bradbury said.
Wyoming’s Clara Tapia hit one of two free throws to make it 60-58, and UNM burned its final timeout with 9.6 seconds left. Without Cherise Beynon, who scored 18 points before fouling out in the final minute, and with Bryan having four fouls, Bradbury elected to play for the regulation win.
“With Cherise out and Laneah having four (fouls), we weren’t in position to play overtime,” Bradbury said.
Jayda Bovero got the ball with an open look from 3-point range as the clock ticked down but elected to pass to Lapeyrolerie coming off a screen. The junior could not convert.
The loss effectively ended UNM’s hopes for a top-three MWC finish as it now trails the two teams tied for second, Wyoming and UNLV, by two games in the loss column and would lose a tiebreaker scenario to either
opponent.
Still, the Lobos did not appear devastated by their second narrow defeat in four days. UNM fell 58-55 at regularseason champion Colorado State on Wednesday.
“Obviously we wanted to win,” Keller said. “This was a big game for us, but there’s lots of basketball ahead. We know we can compete with the top teams in our conference. We’re doing all we can to gear up for the (MWC) tournament.”
UNM finishes the regular season Friday at San Diego State. The Mountain West tournament tips off March 6 in Las Vegas, Nev.