At first glance, the UNM women's basketball team looks like it will earn an easy victory against the Air Force Academy Thursday in The Pit.
The Lobos are second in the Mountain West Conference at 6-2 and 17-5 overall, have the best defense in the conference and already beat the Falcons earlier this season by 21 points on the road.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is Air Force, which is 4-16 overall, 0-7 in the conference and last in most of the offensive and defensive categories in the conference.
Although it looks like a mismatch on paper, UNM head coach Don Flanagan said his team will not be looking past the Falcons.
"They play harder than any team in the conference," he said. "You can't afford to overlook them. They are going to play us very, very tough."
Air Force has given a scare to a few teams this season. It lost to the University of Wyoming on Thursday 70-66 and followed that up by nearly upsetting 19th-ranked Colorado State University 63-55 on Saturday.
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"You got to match their intensity; if you don't match their intensity, they will beat you," Flanagan said.
In the first meeting between UNM and the Falcons, the Lobos routed Air Force 65-44, grabbing a double-digit lead early in the game and were never threatened.
Junior center Jordan Adams led three players in double figures with 17 points. The Lobos shot an impressive 45 percent from the field while holding Air Force to 35 percent shooting.
Flanagan said his team did not play very well in that game, but he was satisfied with the way it broke the Falcon's zone press for easy baskets.
Last season, Air Force was dismantled by 24 points against UNM at home, but came into The Pit and nearly pulled off an upset, staying close for much of the game before losing 65-52.
Flanagan said the team remembers that game and is aware of the threat Air Force can provide.
"You just have to identify what they do well and take it away," he said. "What they do well is play harder than you so we need to make sure we nullify that by playing just as hard as them."
The Falcon arsenal is led by forward Amoy Jackson, who leads the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game.
Freshman point guard Latoya Howell chips in with 8.9 points. Howell led Air Force with 13 points in the Jan. 12 meeting versus the Lobos.
UNM will be heading into the game healthier than it has been in some time.
Flanagan said Adams, who has been bothered by a bad back for the past several games is feeling better.
She scored 17 points Saturday in a victory against the University of Wyoming, the first time she reached double-figue points in five games.
Also, freshman point guard Brittany Wolfgang has been able to participate in an entire practice this week for the first time since the beginning of the year.
She has been bothered by a variety of ailments throughout the season. Flanagan said he is taking a wait-and-see approach to determine if Wolfgang will play against the Falcons.
Game time is at 7 p.m. and can be heard on 610 KNML-AM.
