It’s Nunn’s last shot at Laramie win
Jaisa Nunn has seen this show before and she hasn’t enjoyed the ending.
The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team’s senior post will play her fourth and probably final game at Wyoming’s Arena Auditorium today. The first three ended in UNM losses, leaving Nunn with an unfavorable impression of Laramie, Wyo.
“I’m sure it’s beautiful in the summer,” Nunn said, “but I’m glad this is my last time going to Laramie in the winter. Haven’t had a lot of fun up there so far.”
The Lobos (14-2 overall, 4-1 Mountain West) will try to change Nunn’s outlook today when they visit the Cowgirls (9-4, 2-2) but it doesn’t figure to be easy. Wyoming’s players feel quite comfortable in Laramie, where they are 8-0 this season and have outscored opponents 640-440.
Nunn and the Lobos know exactly what to expect. Under 16th-year coach Joe Legerski, Wyoming sticks to its patient, patterned offense and forces visitors to adjust.
“They’re hard to guard,” UNM’s Madi Washington said of the Cowgirls. “They’re a very fundamental, disciplined team with lots of good shooters. They don’t take bad shots either, so we have to find ways to disrupt them.”
UNM coach Mike Bradbury couldn’t agree more.
“Wyoming’s offense is impressive,” he said. “They’re in the top five in the country in almost every (statistical) category and they’ll wear you out if you let them. We have to be just as sound and disciplined on defense as they are on offense.”
The Lobos have the tools necessary to give the Cowgirls trouble. UNM’s combination of length and quickness has earned it a spot among the national leaders in defensive 3-point field goal percentage, defensive rebounding and blocked shots.
Utah State, a team with similar defensive strengths, handed Wyoming a 50-42 loss last weekend.
But that game was in Logan, Utah, not in Laramie. If UNM is to spoil the Cowgirls’ perfect home record, it will also need a productive outing on offense.
“Wyoming does seem to shoot it really well in that building,” Bradbury said, “and they hardly ever turn the ball over. We probably won’t get much in transition, so we better make open shots.”
New Mexico’s perimeter shooting has been hot and cold this season (29.3 percent from 3-point range), but it has warmed lately thanks to reserves Madi Washington and Jaedyn De La Cerda. Washington has hit 9-of-15 from 3-point range in UNM’s last two games.
Nunn hopes UNM’s shooters can provide a little heat in chilly Laramie.
“When our shooters get going it opens everything up,” Nunn said. “That’ll be big in a game like this because Wyoming can easily hit three or four 3s in a row. You have to stay focused and try to answer when that happens. If you panic and start getting away from the game plan, it can turn into a long day.”