UNM WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lobos chase tournament bye in Pit finale
Fresno State visits Tuesday in final regular season game for both teams
If the UNM Lobos want a Saturday off, they'll just have to earn it.
That's the bottom line for the University of New Mexico women's basketball team heading into Tuesday's regular-season finale against Fresno State at the Pit.
The Lobos face a relatively simple scenario: Win and secure a first-round bye at the Mountain West tournament which tips off Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada — or lose and start prepping for a probable first-round game.
Overall, things are far from simple heading into the final night of regular-season MWC play. San Diego State (18-1) has clinched the tournament's No. 1 seed, and Grand Canyon (11-8) is locked into the No. 6 spot. Other than that, every team could move up or down the seeding ladder, depending on Tuesday's results.
Even for UNM (21-9, 13-6), there are several possible outcomes. The Lobos could finish as high as a No. 3 seed if they win and San Jose State pulls off a shocking upset of Colorado State.
Far more likely is that UNM ends up as a No. 4 seed if it wins Tuesday or a No. 5 seed if it loses to the Bulldogs (14-16, 8-11). The Lobos go into Tuesday in fifth place, one game behind CSU, Boise State and UNLV. The Broncos and Rebels play each other in Las Vegas on Tuesday, meaning UNM needs a win to pull even with the Boise State-UNLV loser in fourth place. The Lobos would win a two-team tiebreaker with either opponent.
It comes as little surprise that New Mexico coach Mike Bradbury is focused on only one of Tuesday's key matchups.
"We just have to try to win our game," Bradbury said. "Fresno State is a good team and they match up well against us. That's all we need to think about. When our game is over, we'll look at the bracket and see how things stand."
The Lobos come into Tuesday's finale on a high note, having won four straight while reviving a previously sputtering offense. Cacia Antonio led the way with 18 points and nine rebounds in Saturday's 63-56 road win at Nevada.
But UNM's recent surge has been a group effort, and Bradbury hopes the uptick continues.
"I really think most of it's mental," he said. "When we play disciplined and everyone's locked in, we're pretty good. We've got capable scorers and don't rely on just one person on offense, and we can be pretty disruptive at times on defense. But we don't have a big margin for error, so we have to be focused and engaged. Fortunately, things have been pretty good lately."
Tuesday's game will be UNM's first look this season at Fresno State, which sits in the conference's No. 7 seeding position. The Bulldogs cannot move up with a win but could drop a notch if they lose and Air Force wins Tuesday.
Under first-year coach Ryan McCarthy, FSU has given most of the Mountain West's top contenders trouble thanks to an attacking defense and aggressive, attacking style.
"They are all about causing chaos," Bradbury said of the Bulldogs. "They rebound everything and try to steal everything. They'll press, they'll trap and they pound the backboards. They'll come after you."
FSU's offense revolves around quick, talented guards Emilia Long and Danae Powell, both of whom can score inside or from the perimeter. The Bulldogs attempt fewer 3-pointers than any MWC team except Nevada, preferring to create transition opportunities with their swarming defense.
UNM ranks second to FSU in steals and also looks for transition openings, but the Lobos are much more apt to work for 3-point looks than are the Bulldogs.
"We'd probably like to see things a little less chaotic," Bradbury said, "but if teams are going to press and trap, we have to be aggressive. We'll be looking to attack."
The Lobos will also be shooting for something they haven't enjoyed since the calendar flipped to 20026 — a Saturday off.
