UNM WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lobos shooting slump continues in loss to CSU
UNM was outscored 19-4 in the third quarter
The problem is easily identified, not so easily fixed.
The University of New Mexico women's basketball team could not shake it's shooting funk Saturday and visiting Colorado State took full advantage.
The Rams were a sizzling 12-for-24 from 3-point range, while the Lobos were a pitiful 2-for-20. That disparity effectively decided things in Colorado State's 66-46 win at the Pit.
It was the third straight cold shooting performance for the Lobos, who hit just 26.8% from the field and were hit with a 19-4 knockout punch in the third quarter. UNM shot 25% in a 63-35 loss a week prior at Boise State and managed just 34%. Shooting in Wednesday's 66-61 over San Jose State, the Mountain West's worst defensive team.
UNM's defense was not at its best either, giving the hot-shooting Rams far too many open looks from 3-point range. But defense was not the primary issue. CSU managed just 36% shooting overall and was outscored 24-10 in the paint, but when the Rams did miss, New Mexico's offense could not take advantage of it.
"We're usually a streaky 3-point shooting team," UNM coach Mike Bradbury said, "and obviously none of those were going in today. But we also got rushed around the basket and took some bad shots. Colorado State took a lot away from us, to their credit, but I felt like we took bad shots today. In our last two games, we got mostly good shots and just didn't make them."
Alyssa Hargrove led the Lobos (17-9, 9-6) with 12 points and accounted for their only two made 3-pointers. She and the rest of the Lobos stayed on the court to meet with fans from a crowd of 5,240 that was largely silenced in the second half.
"We need to acknowledge the fans who come out to support us," Hargrove said. "We know they're upset. Everyone's upset, but we need to acknowledge them and let them know we're going play hard for them and work through this."
Cacia Antonio and Nayli Padilla scored 10 points each for the Lobos, but it wasn't nearly enough as Colorado State (19-7, 10-5) had four starters score in double figures, led by Kloe Froebe with 19 points. Ultra-quick guard Brooke Carlson gave UNM fits with her ability to get past defenders off the dribble. Carlson finished with 12 points and seven assists, going 8-for-10 from the foul line.
Meanwhile, UNM's most reliable scorers struggled. Destinee Hooks went 3-for-12 from the field, Joana Magalhaes was 1-for-13 and Laila Abdurraqib, who scored 25 points in UNM's 66-59 road win over the Rams on Jan. 7, was 0-for-2 and did not score.
"They chased her through every screen and just stayed on her," Bradbury said of Abdurraqib's first scoreless game since Nov. 9 against North Carolina A&T.
UNM's posts, Jessie Joaquim and Emma Najjuma, attempted just one shot — Joaquim's made layup for the first basket of the game.
The Lobos started well enough, getting three-point plays from Antonio and Padilla and grabbing a 10-4 lead with 4:20 left in the first quarter. That's when the trouble started.UNM did not hit another field goal in the quarter and CSU finished on a 15-2 run to take a 19-12 lead.
CSU's Lexus Bargesser and Froebe hit back-to-back 3's early in the second to build the lead to 25-14, prompting a New Mexico timeout. The Lobos' defense stepped up after the break, limiting CSU to six points over the final 8:49 of the half and sparking a UNM rally. A steal, layup and ensuing free throw by Antonio with 18 seconds left trimmed the Rams' lead to 31-27 at halftime.
But the third quarter was all Colorado State. UNM did not score for more than seven minutes while the Rams reeled off 19 straight points to build a comfortable 50-31 lead. It was a full reversal of fortunes for the Lobos, who outscored CSU 19-2 in the second quarter of their previous meeting in Fort Collins.
"In the first half, we gave our fans something to cheer about," Bradbury said. "In the third quarter, we really struggled and (the Rams) took the crowd out of the game."
UNM faces another stiff test Wednesday when it visits Grand Canyon, which won 75-62 at the Pit on Jan. 17.
"The big thing for us is to stay together," Hargrove said. "We pulled together after (a previous three-game losing streak) and we have to do it again. We know the shots will start falling eventually. We just have to stay focused and find a way through this."
