UNM has lost its last seven games that have been decided by six points or fewer. Sanchez said that was partly due to the immaturity of the team last year, but she expects the squad to learn from those mistakes.
“A lot of those close games we just weren’t tough enough to finish. We were just too young,” said Sanchez, whose team opened practice last week. “I’ve learned a lot from that, and it starts with me.”
UNM lost seniors Deeva Vaughn and Sara Halasz after both completed four years of eligibility. Cherise Beynon, Jayda Bovero, Laneah Bryan and Kenya Pye are the four freshman guards New Mexico brought in to deepen its bench.
While having four incoming freshmen makes her team younger, Sanchez said the maturation process is achieved over time.
“We’ve got to grow up and get in those situations and then get over the hump,” Sanchez said. “It all starts with practice.”
UNM started practice early with a 10-day trip to Italy to shake off preseason rust.
“People just think that we went on vacation to see the Vatican and the Coliseum,” Sanchez said. “Playing those four games of competition other than ourselves, having that ten days of full practice, has just helped tremendously and it’s showed in this first week of practice.”
Although UNM began the offseason training early, Sanchez said the team has still had to accommodate the newcomers in the first week of practice since the trip to Europe.
“There’s been a lot of teaching,” Sanchez said. “But they understand the drills; they understand the offense. It’s been a good first week.”
Junior guard Bryce Owens said the team is exited to get to practice, and having already played with the incoming freshmen has provided a much-needed advantage to get into shape before the start of the season.
“The practice we had from Italy got them ready for what we have to do now,” Owens said. “They already know what to expect, and it’s really good for our team.”
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Junior forward Khadijah Shumpert said the chemistry of the team has improved in addition to speeding up the learning curve.
“I think that Italy was the best idea ever,” Shumpert said. “It definitely helped with chemistry on the court and things are just flowing.”
For the first time, all of Sanchez’s players will be those she has selected as head coach. In her fourth year as head coach, Sanchez said she has always had a hand in the recruitment process throughout her 15 years with the Lobos.
Sanchez said having this group is refreshing, but the focus she has is on fielding a healthy unit. UNM’s inside presence was missed last year as redshirt senior Ebony Walker went down in just the third game of last year’s season with an Achilles tendon injury against Texas.
Sanchez said getting Walker back is huge for the team. Guard Antiesha Brown is recovering from hand surgery, but Sanchez said Brown will be back in the first week of November and will be ready in time for the opening tournament, The Maggie Dixon Classic, on Nov. 14.
“This is just the first year that we’ve had a full roster of depth,” Sanchez said. “Everybody has grown up, and we’re not just playing a bunch of freshmen and sophomores and waiting. That was a big impact last year.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
