Lobo women brace for demanding schedule
To play 10 games in 26 days, all on road
Get ready to grind. The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team opens a two-game series Wednesday at San Diego State, tipping off what promises to be a grueling month.
Coming off a January marked by COVID-related cancellations and postponements, UNM’s regular-season Mountain West schedule is now heavily back-loaded. The Lobos (7-2, 4-2) played just four games in a 31-day span from Jan. 3 to Feb. 2. Over the next 26 days, they’re scheduled to play 10.
UNM’s revamped schedule includes a pair of two-game series on back-to-back days (at Colorado State and Utah State) with all 10 games to be played on the road. New Mexico’s coronavirus restrictions will not allow the Lobos to play at home.
From a basketball perspective at least, UNM coach Mike Bradbury believes his team is up to the challenge.
“Our players are in good condition, and we’ll do what’s necessary to make sure they’re rested and ready,” Bradbury said. “I think their mind-sets are pretty positive about playing a bunch of games.”
Travel is another matter. The busy schedule will require the Lobos to spend much of their down time in airports and hotel rooms over the next four weeks.
“Yeah, I’m worried more about the travel than about our players wearing down,” Bradbury said. “That part will be a challenge.”
Tuesday provided a case in point as UNM was unable to book the team on a nonstop flight with prompt arrival in San Diego. That prompted Bradbury and his staff to hold a morning practice at home instead planning a Tuesday practice at San Diego State’s Viejas Arena.
The combination of fewer available flights during the pandemic and various schedule changes has complicated the Lobos’ traveling show.
Still, UNM thus far has handled things well. The Lobos are one of just four teams with winning records in Mountain West play along with Colorado State, Fresno State and UNLV.
The season has not gone so well for San Diego State (5-10, 3-6), Bradbury’s preseason pick to win the league’s regular-season title. The Aztecs lost one of the league’s best players, guard Sophia Ramos, to a hand injury in December and they’ve struggled to find consistent scoring since.
SDSU remains talented and dangerous. Guards Mallory Adams, Mercedes Staples (a transfer from Minnesota) and wing Isabella Hernandez are capable scorers, and the Aztecs rank as one of the MWC’s better defensive teams.
“They’re always one of the more talented teams we face,” Bradbury said, “and they’ve given us trouble with their dribble penetration. We’ve got to guard the ball and keep their guards in front of us.”
The Aztecs have won four straight in the series, including a 75-74 decision at Viejas Arena last season in which Ramos scored a career-best 32 points.
UNM will look to break the streak by forcing a fast tempo, but Bradbury does not anticipate the kind of back-and-forth games the Lobos played last week against Fresno State. In fact, he wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more patience from his own team on the offensive end.
“We want to play with pace and move the ball quickly,” Bradbury said, “but that doesn’t mean just run down the floor and shoot the ball. I think we did that too much against Fresno and took shots out of rhythm. Quick shots are not necessarily good shots.”
Five Lobos (Jaedyn De La Cerda, LaTascya Duff, Ahlise Hurst, Antonia Anderson and LaTora Duff) average double figures in points and rank among the top 21 in Mountain West scoring. Staples and Tea Adams average double figures for SDSU.