MAINIAC
01-24-2008, 08:09 AM
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Lobos Bolt to 14-Point Second-Half Lead on Road Against Utes Before Crumbling
By Ken Sickenger (http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/email_reporter.pl)
Journal Staff Writer
SALT LAKE CITY— This one hurt.
The University of New Mexico women's basketball team lost a 14-point second-half lead, falling 60-57 to Utah on Wednesday night at the Huntsman Center.
The Lobos (10-8 overall, 2-3 Mountain West Conference) outplayed the Utes (15-3, 4-0) for more than 32 minutes but couldn't seal the deal. Utah, led by Kalee Whipple, went on an 18-0 tear to steal the victory and thoroughly frustrate UNM.
"This is like the fourth or fifth game we had in our hands and lost," said Lobo sophomore point guard Amy Beggin, who scored a team-high 16 points. "We need to start closing these games out."
The turning point was crystal clear. It came with 6:19 remaining when Lobo senior Brandi Kimble fouled out. At that point New Mexico led 52-39 and seemed in control, but things turned sour quickly when Kimble went to the bench.
"Absolutely," UNM coach Don Flanagan said when asked if Kimble's fifth foul triggered the Utes' comeback. "We couldn't defend (Utah's Morgan) Warburton any more when Brandi went out. That was critical."
Nor, it seemed, could the Lobos defend Whipple down the stretch. Warburton led the Utes with 19 points, but Whipple scored 10 of her 18 during Utah's decisive surge.
Whipple, however, credited her team's late defense for turning the game.
"New Mexico's a great team and they never stopped," Whipple said. "For us it was about making stops. We knew the offense would come if we could just slow (the Lobos) down."
For most of the evening UNM's offense was outstanding, particularly its 3-point shooting. The visitors were 11-of-19 from the 3-point arc.
Angela Hartill hit all four of her 3-point shots in scoring 12 points off the bench. Hartill hit three 3s in the first half as the Lobos built a 31-23 lead. Jessica Kielpinski, Beggin and Amanda Best had first-half 3-pointers as well.
Meanwhile, UNM's defense was stifling the Utes. Switching on screens and hustling all over the floor, the Lobos cut off Utah point guard Leilani Mitchell and forced numerous shots as the shot clock was close to expiring.
"I thought we defended them about as well as you could," Flanagan said.
The trend continued after halftime. While Utah struggled to solve New Mexico's man-to-man defense, the Lobos built their lead.
Kimble scored all nine of her points, including a pair of 3s that helped UNM grab its largest advantage. Her second 3-pointer made the score 52-38 with 7:53 left.
But Kimble picked up her fourth foul seconds later. Her fifth came as she collided with a Utah player while trying to catch a cross-court pass from Marsh.
"That was my fault," Marsh said. "I kind of led her into that foul with a bad pass."
Warburton hit a 3 on Utah's next possession and the momentum started to turn. UNM's offense suddenly went dark, swamped with turnovers and missed shots. The Lobos, who had hit their first six free throws, missed their last four.
"I felt like if we could've made a shot, just one shot, down the stretch, we could've put the pressure back on (the Utes)," Flanagan said. "We needed to keep scoring, but we did a poor job executing our offense and Utah caught fire."
The Utes took their first lead, 54-52, on Whipple's jumper with 52 seconds left. Two Mitchell free throws made it 56-52 before Beggin broke the Lobo drought with a driving bank shot.
Beggin gave UNM a final chance, hitting a 3-pointer to make it 58-57 with 10 seconds left. But the Lobos couldn't come up with a loose ball in the backcourt, fouled Utah's Halie Sawyer and could not grab a long rebound when she missed the second of two foul shots. Sawyer then hit another free throw for the final margin.
Up next
Saturday: BYU at New Mexico, 2 p.m. Radio: KNML-AM (610)
Lobos Bolt to 14-Point Second-Half Lead on Road Against Utes Before Crumbling
By Ken Sickenger (http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/email_reporter.pl)
Journal Staff Writer
SALT LAKE CITY— This one hurt.
The University of New Mexico women's basketball team lost a 14-point second-half lead, falling 60-57 to Utah on Wednesday night at the Huntsman Center.
The Lobos (10-8 overall, 2-3 Mountain West Conference) outplayed the Utes (15-3, 4-0) for more than 32 minutes but couldn't seal the deal. Utah, led by Kalee Whipple, went on an 18-0 tear to steal the victory and thoroughly frustrate UNM.
"This is like the fourth or fifth game we had in our hands and lost," said Lobo sophomore point guard Amy Beggin, who scored a team-high 16 points. "We need to start closing these games out."
The turning point was crystal clear. It came with 6:19 remaining when Lobo senior Brandi Kimble fouled out. At that point New Mexico led 52-39 and seemed in control, but things turned sour quickly when Kimble went to the bench.
"Absolutely," UNM coach Don Flanagan said when asked if Kimble's fifth foul triggered the Utes' comeback. "We couldn't defend (Utah's Morgan) Warburton any more when Brandi went out. That was critical."
Nor, it seemed, could the Lobos defend Whipple down the stretch. Warburton led the Utes with 19 points, but Whipple scored 10 of her 18 during Utah's decisive surge.
Whipple, however, credited her team's late defense for turning the game.
"New Mexico's a great team and they never stopped," Whipple said. "For us it was about making stops. We knew the offense would come if we could just slow (the Lobos) down."
For most of the evening UNM's offense was outstanding, particularly its 3-point shooting. The visitors were 11-of-19 from the 3-point arc.
Angela Hartill hit all four of her 3-point shots in scoring 12 points off the bench. Hartill hit three 3s in the first half as the Lobos built a 31-23 lead. Jessica Kielpinski, Beggin and Amanda Best had first-half 3-pointers as well.
Meanwhile, UNM's defense was stifling the Utes. Switching on screens and hustling all over the floor, the Lobos cut off Utah point guard Leilani Mitchell and forced numerous shots as the shot clock was close to expiring.
"I thought we defended them about as well as you could," Flanagan said.
The trend continued after halftime. While Utah struggled to solve New Mexico's man-to-man defense, the Lobos built their lead.
Kimble scored all nine of her points, including a pair of 3s that helped UNM grab its largest advantage. Her second 3-pointer made the score 52-38 with 7:53 left.
But Kimble picked up her fourth foul seconds later. Her fifth came as she collided with a Utah player while trying to catch a cross-court pass from Marsh.
"That was my fault," Marsh said. "I kind of led her into that foul with a bad pass."
Warburton hit a 3 on Utah's next possession and the momentum started to turn. UNM's offense suddenly went dark, swamped with turnovers and missed shots. The Lobos, who had hit their first six free throws, missed their last four.
"I felt like if we could've made a shot, just one shot, down the stretch, we could've put the pressure back on (the Utes)," Flanagan said. "We needed to keep scoring, but we did a poor job executing our offense and Utah caught fire."
The Utes took their first lead, 54-52, on Whipple's jumper with 52 seconds left. Two Mitchell free throws made it 56-52 before Beggin broke the Lobo drought with a driving bank shot.
Beggin gave UNM a final chance, hitting a 3-pointer to make it 58-57 with 10 seconds left. But the Lobos couldn't come up with a loose ball in the backcourt, fouled Utah's Halie Sawyer and could not grab a long rebound when she missed the second of two foul shots. Sawyer then hit another free throw for the final margin.
Up next
Saturday: BYU at New Mexico, 2 p.m. Radio: KNML-AM (610)