LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The UNM women’s basketball team's bench kept its hopes of a win alive, but the Lobos gave up too many second-chance opportunities, which spelled doom for the their chances in a 70-65 loss to Colorado State University.
With the Lobos’ starters struggling from the field, the reserves came into the game and brought energy. However, they could not help combat 17 second-chance points by the Rams.
Sophomore guard Cristal Garcia, freshman guard Lauren McLeod and junior center Susan Bocock gave their teammates a boost upon entering the game. Going a combined eight-of-13 shooting, the trio made big play after big play to help keep the Lobos in the game. Bench players scored 24 points and shot six-of-eight from the 3-point arc, compared to the starters’ combined 16-of-41 performance for 39 percent shooting.
“Our bench did an excellent job, especially Cristal,” head coach Don Flanagan said. “They came in and gave us a great lift offensively, as well as on the defensive end.”
McLeod scored six points on two 3-pointers, and Bocock had five points and hit only her second three of the year. Garcia gave the team its biggest boost -a game-high 13 points.
At one point in the first half, the bench accounted for eight straight points. Down 16-12, Garcia hit a pair of free throws and McLeod and Bocock hit back-to-back threes to take a 20-18 lead.
Garcia, who finished three-of-four from the 3-point line, helped the Lobos crawl back into the game with two threes in the final three and a half minutes of the game. She hit a corner three to bring the Lobos to within 62-56, then followed with another three from the same spot seconds later.
“She had a lot of poise out there and gave us a great lift,” Flanagan said. “It was her best game of the season under a great deal of pressure. She had no flaws in her game, she came to play.”
Garcia also had the most acrobatic shot of the night, driving to the basket, splitting two defenders and, while falling down, flicking the ball off the backboard for two points.
“I just went out and played hard,” Garcia said. “I looked at myself in the last two days and said I needed to come out and just play my game.”
However, the reserves could not help the Lobos overcome 12 CSU offensive rebounds, including eight in the second half. When the Rams went on an early run to start the half, they were helped by second and third opportunities to score. Rams forward Shannon Strecker scored two points on an offensive putback and then on the next possession, grabbed two of three offensive rebounds that led to a CSU basket. The Rams scored 12 second-chance points in the second half to help keep the Lobos at a distance. Strecker led the team with four offensive boards.
“I don’t think our team has a habit of blocking out at this point in the season,” Flanagan said. “In the first half, we did a good job blocking out, but in the second half we got caught looking at the ball instead of finding a body.”
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Maybe the most important offensive rebound came with 47 seconds left in the game.
After a missed free throw, Rams guard Angie Gorton outjumped Lobo center Jordan Adams for the ball. Gorton was later fouled on the possession, hitting one free throw and giving her team a four-point cushion in the final seconds.
