RIO RANCHO, N.M. - Traditionally, the Santa Ana Star Center is used to house New Mexico Scorpions hockey games. On Wednesday, there wasn't a zamboni in sight, and the venue was transformed into a hardwood haven. But with the way the UNM women's basketball team shot in the first half, it seemed like there was still a layer of ice below the stained floors.
Still, the Lobos came out victorious, beating Nebraska by the same 11-point margin, 54-43, as in the last contest between the two teams.
"We're the only team in the Mountain West still playing," head coach Don Flanagan said.
UNM will host Oregon State at the Santa Ana Star Center on Friday in the third round of the NIT Tournament.
Throughout the first half, the Lobos did all they could to keep the floor cool and insulated, shooting 33 percent from the field. Then again, considering the way their last matchup with Nebraska turned out, maybe it was inevitable. Last time the two teams met, the Lobos had similar first-half shooting woes, making only 20 percent of their first-half attempts. Still, they possessed a 28-23 lead at the break.
UNM opened the game by taking a 14-3 lead, while the Cornhuskers seemed to be lost in a maze of maize. It took nearly eight minutes for Nebraska to find the hoop, but when they did, the Cornhuskers responded by turning in a 13-1 run that gave them a 16-14 lead. That lead evaporated. The Lobos reclaimed the lead for good, compliments of an 11-2 streak.
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Amy Beggin led UNM in points, falling two points short of tying her career-high with 25. Beggin, who was 3-of-4 from the 3-point line at one point in the first half, was the most effective UNM shooter. Everyone else was a combined 4-of-31 from the field.
Flanagan credited the Huskers' defense, but the Lobos were abominable from the field.
"They did a nice job on defense," Flanagan said. "They pressured our shooters. I think we could've been a little bit more patient. For us, I feel like we hurried our offense."
But the Lobos fed off a sizeable 4,499 crowd that made the 60-minute round-trip trek out to the boonies in the City of Vision worthwhile.
"It felt like a Pit game," Flanagan said.
Beggin gave kudos to the crowd for coming out in numbers. She said they supported UNM despite its atrocious shooting.
"I thought our crowd carried us through this game," Beggin said. "We have our whole state behind us."
The Lobos' shooting only worsened in the second half, but the Cornhuskers couldn't capitalize, and UNM widened the gap thanks to a 20-8 run that gave them a 54-34 advantage.
Only five Lobos scored in the game, with Beggin leading with 25 and Angela Hartill adding 18 points. Amanda Best scored no points but secured 11 rebounds. Other than Beggin and Hartill, only Georonika Jackson had a field goal in the second half, and it didn't come until there was 1:18 left in the game.
"It's not that we're telling those two players that they're the only ones that can shoot," Flanagan said. "We're running a motion offense where everybody gets a look. The rest of the players have opportunities to score, but if they don't score, it's not my fault."
Nebraska stiffened inside the paint, recording seven blocks. That didn't bother Hartill. Instead, she just switched up her approach. As opposed to bashing against
Nebraska's Cory Montgomery, Hartill opted to play from the perimeter, where she was 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
"If she's off of me, I know I have the green light to shoot it," Hartill said.
Montgomery was the only Husker in double figures with 17.
But the Cornhuskers could never solve the Beggin and Hartill riddle. The tandem matched the Cornhuskers' point total by themselves.
"I think Ang' and I look for each other, especially when the shot clock's running down," Beggin said. "Luckily it was working and good enough tonight."
