LEADING LADY
Senior center goes for 32 points, 11 rebounds to lead Lobos
Jaisa Nunn scores 32 points, grabs 11 rebounds to lead Lobos to a win
Bipolar basketball, anyone? The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team put on a wildly uneven performance Sunday at Dreamstyle Arena before ending on a high note. Jaisa Nunn’s dominant outing — 32 points, 11 rebounds — was the difference as the Lobos came away with a 72-65 win over Hartford.
It probably shouldn’t have been that close. UNM (2-1) put together a 19-4 run in the third quarter to build a 52-32 advantage and seemed to have things well in hand. The Hawks (1-3) had no answer for Nunn inside, and Lobo guards Jayla Everett and Aisia Robertson did an effective job alternating between shot attempts and passes to the post.
But the Lobos also were their own worst enemies at times, committing careless turnovers and missing free throws as Hartford steadily worked its way back into the game. The Hawks scored eight straight points at one juncture to get as close as 68-63 with 1:39 remaining, forcing UNM coach Mike Bradbury to call a timeout.
“In the fourth quarter we weren’t following the game plan,” Bradbury said. “We stopped guarding, ignored the scouting reports, didn’t rebound and turned the ball over. We didn’t anything right.” Except get the ball to Nunn. After the aforementioned timeout,
Robertson found Nunn in the paint and she converted a three-point play to effectively stem Hartford’s comeback. Nunn went 11 of 18 from the floor and 9 of 12 from the foul line after being limited to six shots in a 79-76 loss to Auburn one week earlier. UNM outscored Hartford 40-22 in the paint.
“I wouldn’t have gotten those points without my teammates,” Nunn said. “We knew we had an advantage inside and tried to play smart. Jayla got me the ball, A.R. (Robertson) got me the ball. They did a great job setting me up.”
There were other reasons for UNM’s announced 4,330 fans to smile.
Everett finished with 15 points, four assists and three steals, while Robertson had a double-double with 10 points and 12 assists. Nike McClure also chipped in four points, 11 rebounds and numerous hustle plays just a week after leaving the Pit f loor by motorized cart with a left ankle injury.
“Nike was tremendous,” Bradbury said. “She provides energy and effort and plays extremely hard. What she gives us is very important.”
But there were more than a few moments Sunday that left Bradbury and Lobo fans shaking their heads in frustration. UNM finished with 21 turnovers (Hartford had 18), and far too many of the Lobos’ giveaways were products of poor decisions.
Robertson had nine turnovers and was not satisfied with her team’s up-and-down execution.
“We’ve got to stay level-headed,” she said. “Give Hartford credit because they kind of switched up their press in the fourth quarter and caught me off guard. It was a good press.
“But that’s no excuse for nine turnovers. We made a lot of mistakes late in the game.”
Bradbury kept his team in the locker room for an extended postgame meeting and lamented its erratic performance.
“We’ve got to stay disciplined,” he said, “and we didn’t today.”
But even Bradbury acknowledged how impressive the Lobos looked at times. UNM’s big third-quarter run flustered the Hawks and forced them to temporarily abandon their full-court pressure.
The Lobos’ 19-4 surge included a Nunn 3-pointer on her first attempt of the season.
“That was nice,” she said with a grin. “Glad to get that first one out of the way. I hope it’s not my last.”
Sierra DaCosta (22 points) and Lindsey Abed (19) led the way for Hartford.