Transfer Buck plays role for UNM women
If a Western movie version of the UNM women’s 2016-17 basketball season should ever come out, Tesha Buck would be wearing the black hat.
The senior transfer from Green Bay hasn’t been able to suit up for Lobo games, and she spends most practices playing a specific archvillain. Buck, a 6-foot guard, is part of the silver-clad scout team and is typically cast as the upcoming opponent’s best player.
“It’s fun,” Buck said of playing the bad guy. “It gets frustrating sometimes
because they’re sending two (defenders) at you, but at the end of the day it helps the team and it’s going to help me. I’m learning a lot.”
Lobos coach Mike Bradbury has a similar outlook. With his team ravaged by injuries and in dire need of perimeter shooting, he can’t help wishing Buck — a 1,000-point scorer
in three seasons at Green Bay — could ride to the Lobos’ rescue immediately.
UNM, which visits San Diego State for tonight’s regular-season finale, opens Mountain West tournament play Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nev. Buck was once named Horizon League tournament MVP after leading Green Bay to a title as a sophomore.
NCAA transfer rules limit her to practice duty this season.
“It would be awfully nice to have her now,” Bradbury said, “but Tesha’s a pro and she knows the drill. Making life tough for the starters is how she has to help us.”
Playing the antagonist is an odd plot twist for Buck, a Native American who is very much looking forward to playing in front of New Mexico’s culturally diverse fan base.
Buck grew up on the Prairie Island Indian Community Dakota-Sioux reservation in Minnesota and, according to an espnW article, was one of just 21 Native American or Alaskan Native women playing Division I basketball in her freshman year at Green Bay (2013-14).
The number surprised Buck, who concedes she “may not necessarily look Native American” but carries her heritage as a badge of honor. A tattoo on her torso depicts a basketball in a feather with the Dakota words “Cante Wasaga Win,” which translates to “Strong Hearted Woman.”
Buck says she’s seen Native American participation increase in women’s college basketball over the past few seasons and hopes the trend continues.
“A few years ago the path wasn’t really laid for Native American youth to get to Division I,” she said. “Players like (former Louisville stars) Shonie and Jude Schimmel spoke out and helped lay that path and said, ‘Hey, you can do this.’ I think more coaches are giving Native players a chance now. I hope I can be a good example, too.”
Buck did not anticipate finishing her college career in New Mexico, a state she’d never visited until last summer. Nor did it seem likely she would leave Green Bay’s successful program after being named Horizon League Freshman of the Year in 2014 and second-team All-Horizon League as a sophomore.
Her outlook changed last season, however, when Buck missed an early-season game because of injury and never regained her starting role. Her minutes dwindled and Buck decided she needed a change of scenery.
“Things just changed for me,” Buck said. “I was at a place where I wasn’t happy anymore. I decided to put my happiness first and made the decision to leave.”
Buck was familiar with Bradbury from playing against his Wright State teams for three seasons. When she learned he had taken over at UNM, Buck decided to visit.
“I already liked his coaching style,” Buck said, “and once I saw the place, I fell in love with it.”
Bradbury did not immediately have a scholarship to offer, but Buck was convinced enough to come as a walk-on. Four players recruited to UNM by the previous coaching staff later transferred, however, and Bradbury put Buck on scholarship at the semester break.
Buck admits adjusting to practice-only status has been difficult, but she’s enjoyed getting to know her new teammates.
“When I first got here, I was really shy,” she said, “but I think I’ve opened up a lot. I’ve come to realize we have a lot of similarities as well as differences. When we get on the court, it’s all about basketball and we’re all really good friends.”
Lobo junior Cherise Beynon, who often squares off against Buck at practice, agreed.
“Tesh is a great player,” Beynon said. “She’s always going hard and playing her best, which helps us prepare, and she’s fit in so well. I can’t wait to play with her next year.”
Bradbury said he’ll be glad to see Buck sporting good-guy colors for a change.
“She lit us up every single time when I was at Wright State,” he said. “Tesha can be a 20-pluspoint scorer for us. I’ll be glad to let someone else try to stop her.”
In the meantime, Buck is looking forward to learning more about her new adopted home. As a transfer she cannot travel with the Lobos to next week’s Mountain West tournament, but the Native American studies major hopes to take in some prep basketball at the Pit.
“I’ve heard the state tournament is big here,” she said. “I want to see what it’s like. I see a lot of Native fans in the stands at our games, too, which is really cool. The longer I’m here, the more I learn this place is special.”