Latest victory didn’t mask shortcomings
Lobos aim to change tactics Saturday in rematch with FSU
Upon closer inspection, Thursday night’s performance left considerable room for improvement.
Satisfying as it was, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team’s nail-biting 82-80 victory over Fresno State did not look quite as pretty during Friday’s video study. It gave Lobos coach Mike Bradbury plenty to talk about as his team prepared for Saturday’s rematch with the Bulldogs in Canyon, Texas.
“We have to guard the ball better,” Bradbury said Friday. “That was pretty apparent. If we do, that should allow us to rebound better because our posts won’t have to help as much defensively. Those are the biggest things we need to clean up.”
From a glass-half-empty perspective, UNM (7-1, 4-1 Mountain West) allowed 80 points and was outrebounded 46-35 by Fresno State (8-6, 6-3), a team that entered Thursday’s game last in the league in rebound margin. The Lobos also shot an icy 6-for-30 from 3-point range Thursday.
But those numbers can also bolster a glass-half-full argument. In spite of leaky ball defense, shaky rebounding and cold perimeter shooting, UNM found a way to defeat the MWC’s defending regular-season champs and preseason favorites.
It was a noteworthy change from
Maluach did hit 46.3% of his 3-point tries as a freshman, but his career numbers have steadily dropped as he’s grown into more of a known commodity, and focal point, around the league. Per KenPom.com, in Division I games, Maluach shot 32.6% as a sophomore from 3-point range, 30.3% as a junior and he’s at 28.6% this season.
But his 2-point shooting was at 57.4% both as a freshman and a junior. This season, he’s at 48.2% but also trying to take more of a scoring role than ever before, sometimes forcing shots. But when he’s been at his best this season, it’s been his mid-range jumpers — often set up with a head fake from the perimeter followed by a quick blow by his defender getting to the spot for his jumper.
Maluach had eight first-half points Thursday on 4-of-11 shooting when the Lobos were still trying to run some offense. Then he scored 16 in the second half and overtime on 5-of6 shooting, often creating his own shot. Part of the reason UNM ended up with just four assists was its top offenses on this night were Maluach going one-on-one, getting offensive rebounds and putbacks or drawing fouls.
Thursday’s 24 points came on 9-of-16 shooting on 2s and one miss on a 3.
In last Saturday’s loss to San Jose State, Maluach had six points on 1-of-4 shooting on 2s and 1-of-7 on 3s.
In UNM’s game prior to that, a win over San Jose State, Maluach had a season-high 25 points on 8-of-9 2-point shooting and 2-of-5 3-point shooting.
“I’m hopeful this year, him continuing to kind of attack the 2-point shot, as opposed to hunting 3s, has been helpful,” Weir said.