Staff Report
The Lobo women's basketball team invaded Laramie, Wyo. and freshman Julie Briody had a career-high 20 points in UNM's 61-56 victory over the Cowgirls on Saturday.
After falling behind by as many as nine points, the Lobos rallied and were able to match the Cowgirls, scoring back and forth in the first period, but UNM remained down by one at halftime, 34-33.
The Lobos came back with a new sense of urgency in the second period, though, armed with Briody and the No. 3 defense in the nation. Wyoming made only 25 percent of its shots in the latter half.
Briody was averaging 5.5 points per game before Saturday and was put in to defend the Cowgirls' leading scorer, Ashley Elliott. Elliott had 12 points early in the first half, when UNM head coach Don Flanagan put Briody in off the bench. Elliott would not score again.
Not only did Briody end Elliott's hot shooting, but she had nine points of her own in a UNM 10-0 run, to give the lead to the Lobos, providing them a 52-46 advantage midway through the second half. Briody connected on back-to-back 3-pointers and three times at the free-throw line.
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But the Cowgirls chipped away at the Lobo lead and after a 3-pointer by Kristen Lenhardt, found themselves within one with just over a minute to play.
That's when junior Lindsey Arndt stepped in and scored off a jump hook, followed by a pair of free throws from senior forward Melissa Forest.
Forest and Arndt had eight and 11 rebounds, respectively and UNM dominated the boards, out-rebounding Wyoming 41-26.
While the Cowgirls shot 34 percent in the game, UNM made 44 percent of its shots, led by Briody, Arndt, who had 13 points, and Forest who added eight.
The Lobos are 10-0 this season when they have scored more than 60 points.
UNM (13-7) improved to 5-2 in the Mountain West Conference. The second conference loss came at the hands of Colorado State on Thursday night in Fort Collins. Wyoming (8-12) dropped to 4-3 in conference play.
The women's basketball team will play host to the Air Force Falcons on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. The Falcons are still winless in conference play.
