Lobo women's notes: Will UNM earn a first-round bye in MW tournament?

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team would prefer to avoid playing a first-round Mountain West tournament game in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 9.

That requires a top-five finish in the regular season.

What are the Lobos’ chances with five games left?

Not bad based on remaining schedules, but UNM still has considerable work to do. With UNLV (12-1 MWC), Colorado State and Wyoming (both 9-3) looking like locks for first-round byes, six teams are in a tight race for the final two automatic quarterfinal spots.

UNM and Fresno State (both 7-6) currently hold the fourth/fifth spots, with the Bulldogs holding the tiebreaker based on a Jan. 25 victory in the Pit. The teams meet again March 1 in Fresno.

The winner of that game will have a leg up but certainly no guarantee of a first-round tournament bye. San Diego State and Nevada (both 6-7) are in the hunt, while Boise State (5-8) and Air Force (4-8) are just two games back in the loss column.

Who has the best odds?

UNM did itself an enormous favor by pulling out Thursday night’s 88-83 overtime win over Boise State. The Lobos, who have an open date this weekend, also have a relatively favorable schedule the rest of the regular season. UNM has two games against teams currently among the top-five in the standings (road games at Fresno State and Wyoming).

Getting swept by the Broncos almost certainly would have pushed UNM into a first-round scenario.

Fresno State has enjoyed the most favorable schedule among league contenders, facing both Colorado State and Wyoming just once this season. The Bulldogs have a tough finish, however, with road games against Boise State, CSU, San Diego State and a home matchup with UNM.

San Diego State has the easiest closing schedule. A home finale against Fresno State is the Aztecs’ only game against a top-five team. Nevada and Boise State have three games apiece against the current top five, while Air Force has the toughest road to travel with four.

Of course, starting the MW tournament a day early isn’t necessarily fatal to a team’s championship hopes. UNM’s men won four games in four days to take the title just last March, but such jackpots are rare. On the women’s side only Utah in 2011 and Wyoming in 2021 have raised trophies after starting a day early.

STEALING A PAGE: Speaking of UNM’s men’s team, Lobo women’s coach Mike Bradbury gave a tongue-in-cheek shoutout to men’s counterpart Richard Pitino after Thursday’s dramatic win over Boise State.

The Lobos clinched their 88-83 victory when Viané Cumber drilled a long 3-pointer to beat the shot clock with 6.7 seconds left in overtime. Cumber had little choice but to shoot after the Lobos’ preferred play options broke down.

Asked about the play, Bradbury deadpanned, “It reminded me of the great play Richard drew up when Nelly (Junior Joseph) picked the ball up off the floor and hit the game-winner. It was the same play.”

Joseph’s buzzer-beating shot on a broken play was similar, though shorter and even more dramatic. It lifted UNM’s men to an 82-81 overtime win over Nevada on Jan. 3 in the Pit.

BOUNCING BACK: Thursday’s win over Boise State included a bounce-back performance by freshman Joana Magalhães, who sat out the final three quarters of last week’s loss at UNLV. Bradbury said after the game that Magalhães needed to “adjust her attitude.”

Fellow freshman Nayli Padilla started Thursday, but Magalhães excelled coming off the bench. She racked up 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes, twice hitting key baskets to give UNM the lead in overtime.

“I thought Jo was tremendous,” Bradbury said. “She played hard, played well and was in the right frame of mind.”

Padilla also contributed in her first UNM start, finishing with nine points, three assists and a steal in 18 minutes.

LOBOS 88, BRONCOS 83 OT

BOISE STATE (15-11, 5-8 Mountain West)

Lalotte 5-9 1-2 11, Pasco 3-12 1-2 8, Muse 8-10 2-3 18, Hansen 2-9 2-2 7, Naro 0-2 2-2 2, Christensen 1-1 0-0 2, Clark 1-1 0-0 2, Bayes 4-11 0-0 11, Hueckman 1-3 0-0 2, Hutton 0-0 0-0 0, Steadman 7-12 2-2 17, Sharp 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-73 10-13 83.

NEW MEXICO (14-12, 7-6 Mountain West)

Joaquim 5-7 1-2 11, Hooks 5-16 1-2 13, Hargrove 1-9 1-2 3, Padilla 4-8 0-0 9, Cumber 10-22 2-2 27, Moreland 4-6 0-0 8, Langermann 0-1 2-2 2, Magalhães 6-9 2-2 15, Lauro 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-78 9-12 88.

Boise State 15 18 22 20 8 — 83

New Mexico 14 24 18 19 13 — 88

3-point FGs—BSU 7-30 (Pasco 1-5, Hansen 1-7, Naro 0-2, Bayes 3-9, Steadman 1-4, Gardner 1-3); UNM 9-27 (Joaquim 0-1, Hooks 2-4, Hargrove 0-3, Padilla 1-2, Cumber 5-13, Langermann 0-1, Magalhães 1-3). Rebounds—BSU 35 (Lalotte 4, Pasco 1, Muse 5, Hansen 1, Naro 6, Christensen 3, Bayes 4, Hueckman 1, Steadman 3, Sharp 1); UNM 51 (Joaquim 8, Hooks 4, Hargrove 11, Padilla 1, Cumber 5, Moreland 5, Langermann 1, Magalhães 7). Assists—BSU 28 (Pasco 3, Muse 3, Hansen 4, Naro 8, Christensen 1, Clark 1, Bayes 5, Steadman 3); UNM 20 (Joaquim 1, Hooks 1, Hargrove 10, Padilla 3, Langermann 1, Magalhães 4). Steals—BSU 5 (Lalotte 1, Hansen 2, Naro 1, Hueckman 1); UNM 2 (Hargrove 1, Padilla 1). Blocks—BSU 7 (Naro 2, Christensen 1, Clark 1, Bayes 1, Steadman 2); UNM 6 (Joaquim 1, Hooks 1, Hargrove 1, Cumber 1, Padilla 1, Moreland 1). Turnovers—BSU 7, UNM 11. Team fouls—BSU 12, UNM 10. Fouled out—UNM Moreland. Technical fouls—None.