by ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Ten wins. Zero losses.
No University of New Mexico women’s basketball team had ever started that way until Wednesday night when the Lobos in front of a season-high 5,663 loud and enthusiastic supporters defeated Texas Tech handily, 90-56, at Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit.
The victory for UNM (10-0) not only sets a new record for best start in program history (passing the 1996-97 team that started 9-0), it’s also the second-most games the Lobos have won in a row ever – only behind the 11-game win streaks of the 2003-04 and 1977-78 teams.
“Well first off, man, what a crowd – the biggest one of the year and they were loud. It was unbelievable,” UNM coach Mike Bradbury said. “… I appreciate everyone that showed up tonight, that was really helpful.”
The Lobos, who are in the top 10 in the nation in 3-pointers made per game, struggled from beyond the arc for much of the contest (and finished 6-for-20 overall after going 3-for-5 in the fourth quarter) – but made up for it with tenacious defense that saw UNM force 20 Texas Tech turnovers and turn those into 28 points (Texas Tech had just two points off of seven Lobo turnovers). Also, against a much taller Texas Tech team, the Lobos were outrebounded just by one at 44-43.
“A big thing tonight was defensively, our kids were really locked into the plan, followed the plan and you know we really wanted to compete on the boards as hard as we could because we couldn’t just let them kill us and shoot and rebound it until they make it,” Bradbury said.
The game was tied 14-14 early in the second quarter when a Cherise Beynon layup ignited a 13-0 run by the Lobos – capped by an N’Dea Flye three-point play with 7:00 left in the quarter to make it 27-14.
Texas Tech (3-5), which lost to nationally ranked Texas A&M by the exact same score of 90-56, cut the Lobo lead to 37-27 at the half and trailed by eight points early in the third quarter before the Lobos used their aggressiveness to get to the free-throw line to pull away. UNM hit six consecutive free throws to start a 13-2 run capped by an Alex Lapeyrolerie 3-pointer, a Beynon bucket and a Washington basket to make it 52-33 with 4:28 remaining in the quarter – forcing Texas Tech to call a timeout as the loud Lobo crowd shot to its feet.
UNM finished 18-for-21 from the free-throw line compared to 3-for-6 for Texas Tech.
“I think we are so versatile in how we can score and if we’re not hitting from outside we have people who drive the ball really well, so I think it’s whatever is working for us is what we try to work with,” said Tesha Buck (Mdewkanton Sioux)– who finished with 20 points. “We just tried to use our speed against their height and take them to the foul line.”
The Lobos led by 20-plus points throughout the fourth quarter to come away with their eighth double-digit win of the season and fifth by 22 or more points.
Nunn, who battled the Texas Tech posts all night, finished with her sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds and said it was a team effort to keep the Red Raiders off the glass.
“It was pretty tough because they are a really good team, and as a team we really got in there, like all five of us went down to rebound and everyone went as hard as they could to get on that boards and push it down to transition,” Nunn said.
Beynon led all scorers with 21 points to go along with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.
UNM finished 18-for-21 from the free-throw line compared to 3-for-6 for Texas Tech.
“I think we are so versatile in how we can score and if we’re not hitting from outside we have people who drive the ball really well, so I think it’s whatever is working for us is what we try to work with,” said Tesha Buck – who finished with 20 points. “We just tried to use our speed against their height and take them to the foul line.”
The Lobos led by 20-plus points throughout the fourth quarter to come away with their eighth double-digit win of the season and fifth by 22 or more points.
Nunn, who battled the Texas Tech posts all night, finished with her sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds and said it was a team effort to keep the Red Raiders off the glass.
“It was pretty tough because they are a really good team, and as a team we really got in there, like all five of us went down to rebound and everyone went as hard as they could to get on that boards and push it down to transition,” Nunn said.
Beynon led all scorers with 21 points to go along with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.
