Defensive switch helps Lobos close out Aztecs
UNM finishes game on 8-0 run after blowing big lead
Just when it seemed a win was slipping through its fingers, the UNM women’s basketball team got into a zone.
Coach Mike Bradbury’s late defensive adjustment sparked a game-ending 8-0 run as New Mexico pulled out a 70-62 victory over San Diego State at Dreamstyle Arena on Wednesday night.
Much to the displeasure of an announced 4,976 fans, the visiting Aztecs erased a 19-point first-half deficit and tied the game at 62 with 3:30 remaining. That’s when Bradbury called a timeout and switched from UNM’s base man-to-man defense to a 2-3 zone.
Aisia Robertson followed with a steal and goahead layup, the crowd roared its approval and SDSU never scored again.
“Going zone was the key,” Bradbury said. “We probably should’ve done it a little earlier but at least we figured it out — in the nick of time, I guess.”
Robertson finished with stat-sheet-stuffing performance (19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five steals, three blocks) and UNM needed every bit of it to hold off the hard-charging Aztecs. The junior point guard wore a look of sheer determination as she drove coast to coast for the go-ahead layup with 2:45 left. What was she thinking? “Nobody’s stopping me,” she said with a grin. “I don’t usually take that approach but in that situation I knew we needed to score and change
the momentum. Glad it worked.”
The Lobos (14-2, 4-1 Mountain West) increased their lead to 65-62 when Jaisa Nunn hit one of two free throws with 2:10 remaining. Nunn finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.
But the dagger came on UNM’s next possession when freshman Ahlise Hurst buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 68-62 with 1:31 left.
“That was so big,” Robertson said. “As soon as she shot it I said, ‘That’s going in!”
The decisive late surge wrapped up an odd game in which each team dominated for long stretches. UNM hit seven 3-pointers — four by Madi Washington — in the first half and appeared poised to run San Diego State (6-9, 1-3) out of the Pit. The Lobos led 33-14 at one point and were up 42-26 at halftime.
“The first half we made a bunch of shots and (the Aztecs) missed open ones,” Bradbury said. “We knew that wouldn’t last. They’re too talented.”
Bradbury’s prediction proved accurate. Naje Murray banked in a 3-pointer to start the third quarter and SDSU quickly turned it into a 12-5 run that cut the deficit to 47-38.
UNM rebuilt its lead to 55-44 after three quarters but the Aztecs opened the fourth with a 9-2 surge and any thoughts of a Lobo romp had evaporated. Murray, who scored a team-high 17 points, later swished a 3-pointer to narrowly beat the shot clock and make the score 62-60. Sophia Ramos’ uncontested layup on SDSU’s next possession tied things.
That’s when UNM went to its zone.
“That made a really big difference,” Nunn said. “It seemed like (the Aztecs) were getting layup after layup and that stopped it. That stopped them from driving.”