Back on the right track
UNM women rebound from loss
The Colorado State Rams got the type of game they wanted Saturday at Dream-style Arena. New Mexico beat them at it. Madi Washington scored a season-high 15 points on five 3-pointers as the Lobos got back on the winning track with a 70-58 victory in front of a season-best announced crowd of 5,809.
UNM (13-2, 3-1 Mountain West) was coming off a sluggish 66-57 loss at UNLV and found itself in another physical, half-court battle against the Rams (7-8, 1-3). This time, the Lobos were up to the challenge.
New Mexico managed to pound the ball inside occasionally against CSU’s sagging 2-3 zone and shot over it effectively during the final three quarters. The Lobos hit 11 3-pointers to the Rams’ six, outscored CSU 22-14 in the paint and outrebounded the visitors 49-33.
If the game felt like something of a grind at times, UNM coach Mike Bradbury didn’t mind at all.
“Any time you play CSU,” Bradbury said, “they’re so disciplined and so well-coached, they force you to play the style they want to play. But our team was disci-
plined, too, and for the most part did exactly what we practiced. I’m really happy with our performance.”
Bench production was a major factor as UNM’s reserves outscored CSU’s 24-8. Washington provided the bulk of the Lobos’ bench points and was a difference-maker against the Rams’ zone.
“I knew I was going to get opportunities, and I needed to take advantage,” said Washington, who posted her first double-digit scoring game of the season.
“I just think it was time,” she said of the breakout performance. “I hadn’t shown up all season long.”
Lobo post Jaisa Nunn rarely had much room to breathe inside but battled her way to 14 points and six rebounds. Teammate Nike McClure added six points, a career-best 12 rebounds, three blocks and three assists.
“CSU plays a very compact zone and you know it’s going to be rough inside,” Nunn said. “… Fortunately we hit a bunch of 3s, and Madi went off.”
For a time it seemed Colorado State’s defensive approach might pay off handsomely. The Rams swarmed Nunn and effectively dared the Lobos to shoot from long range. UNM went 1-for-9 from 3-point range in the first quarter.
CSU did not shoot well early either but back-to-back 3s by Mollie Mounsey capped an 8-0 run that gave the Rams a 23-22 lead with 4:50 left in the first half.
Enter Washington and Jaedyn De La Cerda, who combined to hit four straight 3-pointers. Washington’s triple with three seconds left sent the Lobos to halftime with a 36-26 lead.
“We didn’t change our approach,” Bradbury said, “just our personnel. You have to take (3-pointers) against CSU because those are the only open shots available. Madi and Jaedyn came in and hit some and gave us a spark.”
Antonia Anderson and Aisia Robertson chipped in 3-pointers in the third quarter as UNM’s lead expanded to 48-31. New Mexico went 10-of-19 from behind the arc over the final three quarters.
Still, CSU didn’t go away. Mounsey, who finished with a game-high 18 points, sparked a rally that got the Rams as close as 63-55 with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter. The Lobos aided the visitors’ comeback with several unforced turnovers.
But Washington swished a dagger 3-pointer with 2:34 remaining, and UNM hit four straight free throws in the closing minutes to put the win on ice.
Robertson finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and five turnovers for the Lobos.