New Mexico freshman point guard Bryce Owens (12) is “a player who can change the whole flow of a game,” UNM coach Yvonne Sanchez says.

Not only did the Lobos nearly double the Rams in total rebounds (46-24), but UNM’s Bryce Owens pulled down a game-best 10 boards. Yes, Bryce Owens, the 5-foot-4 point guard who was easily the shortest player on the floor most of the night.

	Saturday San Diego State at UNM, 6 p.m., 610 AM

CSU’s LaDeyah Forte, also 5-4, matched Owens in stature for her 13 minutes of game time. However, no one on either team matched Owens’ production in the game’s decisive second half.

The freshman scored 10 of her 12 points, notched five of her seven assists and grabbed six of her 10 rebounds after halftime. She ended up three assists shy of a triple-double, but did more than enough to help the Lobos earn a needed Mountain West Conference road victory.

“Bryce just had a great game,” Lobos coach Yvonne Sanchez said. “She’s still learning and makes freshman mistakes at times, but Bryce is a player who can change the whole flow of a game. Ten rebounds for a 5-4 point guard is pretty amazing.”

For one night at least, Owens looked like the top contender for MWC Freshman of the Year. She outplayed CSU freshman Caitlin Duffy, who may be Owens’ top competition for the award.

Duffy finished with nine points, five assists and three rebounds but was 2 for 11 from the field.

“A lot will depend on how we finish,” Sanchez said, “but Bryce has to be in the hunt (for top freshman honors). She’s taken on a leadership role, which is not easy for a freshman.”

Remarkably, Owens was not heavily recruited out of high school. The DeSoto, Texas, native ultimately chose UNM over North Texas.

“Now she’s looking like a four-year starter and an anchor for us,” Sanchez said. “It’s amazing how things work out sometimes.”

Owens will face perhaps her stiffest test to date with MWC co-leader San Diego State set to visit the Pit on Saturday. She’ll be up against Aztecs senior star Chelsea Hopkins, who recorded her third triple-double of the season Wednesday against Nevada.

Still, it is part of the learning process for UNM’s talented freshman, and Owens remains ahead of the curve.

“Chelsea Hopkins may school Bryce a few times,” Sanchez said, “but she does that to everyone. Bryce just needs to realize that, keep her head up and play to her own strengths. When she does that, she makes us better, and that’s all I can ask.”

NOTES: UNM was short-handed for Thursday’s practice. Caroline Durbin (illness) and Antiesha Brown (hamstring injury) sat out the light session and may not participate today. Sanchez hopes to have both available by Saturday. … Wednesday’s 15-point outing certainly boosted UNM’s Deeva Vaughn in the MWC statistical standings. In conference play, Vaughn ranks 11th in scoring (13 ppg), first in field-goal percentage (.536) and 3-point FG percentage (.636), and second in 3-pointers made per game (2.3).
Owens Comes Up Big

UNM WOMEN’s basketball
— This article appeared on page D5 of the Albuquerque Journal