by Andre van der Merwe
Daily Lobo
Playing for Don Flanagan doesn't mean being good at basketball is your only priority.
Lobo junior guard Brandi Kimble succeeds in every facet the UNM women's basketball head coach stresses,
Flanagan said.
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"We have four areas that we work on - court, classroom, campus and community, and she's excellent in all those,"
Flanagan said.
Balancing her basketball life and off-court duties can be challenging, but Kimble has handled the responsibilities well, earning Mountain West Conference
Academic All-Conference honors last season.
As a biology major, Kimble said her life is hectic at times.
"It's pretty tough," she said. "It's a lot of dedication. It's hard work. You stay up late sometimes to study for quizzes or tests and trying to get papers done, but you just got to do it."
Kimble hasn't shown any negative effects from a full workload, though.
In UNM's 75-54 win against Texas Christian in The Pit on Sunday, Kimble recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
She has scored in double figures seven times this season.
Flanagan said Kimble's energy and play are a commodity for
the Lobos.
"She's a very aggressive player, excellent rebounder for her size and aggressive defender," he said. "She plays a transition attacking kind of offense, which we don't have a lot of players like that. She gives us a dimension on our team that we really need. So, she's very important to our team."
At the end of this season, the Lobos will be losing three of their starters. They are Katie Montgomery, who leads the MWC and UNM in career 3-point percentage; Julie Briody, who leaves with the UNM record for most consecutive free throws made, with 35; and Timi E-Nunu, the Lobos' defensive specialist.
While Kimble is focused on the rest of this season, she knows her significance to the team will have to be even greater next year, she said.
"I definitely know I have to step up in all aspects of my game," she said. "I have to be more of a vocal leader."
For now, she is focused on the task at hand. As the Lobos prepare for the MWC Tournament, Kimble hopes the team can make a run after a sluggish start to conference play.
"I think we're still a premier team," she said. "I knew that we were going to face a lot of tough competition, but we bounced back from our three losses in a row, and we're on the right
track now."
While remaining a good student and dealing with the travel schedule and hard work can be draining, Kimble wouldn't change any of it, she said.
"This is a great opportunity that a lot of kids don't get to go through," she said. "I love it."
