Sports

Podcast: Mountain West Conference Tournament

Marsh breaks UNM's career scoring record

Dionne Marsh established herself as the most prolific scorer in UNM history after her 26-point performance at The Pit on Saturday. The senior post needed 11 points to pass Abby Garchek as the school's career scoring leader and did so in the Lobos' 76-45 win over Colorado State.

Win over Colorado State propels Lobos into tourney

It hasn't been a typical year for the UNM women's basketball team, but the Lobos are playing their best basketball at the most important time of the season. UNM routed Colorado State 76-45 on Saturday at The Pit in the final game of the regular season. "I'm happy to go into the tournament with this win," head coach Don Flanagan said.

UNM boasts nine consecutive wins

The UNM softball team extended its win streak to nine games Saturday, defeating Georgetown and Wright State. The Lobos beat the Hoyas 5-4 in the first game before knocking off Wright State 8-4. UNM head coach Ty Singleton said he was impressed with his team's performance.

Lobos boost hopes of an NCAA ticket

If the UNM men's basketball team's credentials aren't impressive enough, it will get to add another impressive number to its résumé this weekend. The Lobos play their final regular season game Saturday at Colorado State and will tie a school record with eight road wins if they beat the Rams.

Senior looks to break record

Staff report Dionne Marsh can have a historic night in the final regular-season home game of her career on Senior Night. When the UNM women's basketball team hosts Colorado State on Saturday at The Pit, Marsh will have a chance to become the Lobos' all-time leading scorer.

The man who tackles the injuries

In the final moments of a big game, a star athlete falls to the ground with an injury. The game stops. The crowd becomes silent. An athletic trainer rushes to the scene. In the world of sports, athletes stand at the forefront of recognition. Their every performance is analyzed.

From the Sports Gutter

Welcome to another edition of "From the Sports Gutter." This week, the topic is the NBA. The MVP race is heating up between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Also, this season has seen more blockbuster trades than usual, which is making for some thrilling playoff races.

Lobo defense clinches final home game win

The UNM men's basketball team used a stout defense to knock off UNLV 59-45 on Tuesday at The Pit. The sold-out crowd of 18,018 - the second consecutive sold-out game - made it an emotional win on Senior Night, senior guard Jamaal Smith said. "For our crowd to come out this year and support us like they have is just incredible," he said.

Giddens shines in final game at The Pit

The way UNM head coach Steve Alford sees it, J.R. Giddens locked up the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Award in his final collegiate home game. The senior was the catalyst in the Lobos' 59-45 win against UNLV on Tuesday at The Pit. Giddens finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds and five assists on Senior Night and left to a standing ovation and chants of "MVP" when he was taken out of the game in the final minute.

Tennis wins two at home, ends 2-match losing streak

The No. 64 UNM women's tennis team snapped a two-match losing streak with two wins at home this weekend. The Lobos defeated Boise State and Western Michigan to improve to 5-4 on the season. "We came back from Louisiana, and especially with that second loss, and I told the team, 'We need to have a good two weeks of practice,'" head coach Kathy Kolankiewicz said.

Lobos look to end season with strong performance

When UNLV came into The Pit on Feb. 2, Amy Beggin went off for a career-high 26 points, and the UNM women's basketball team cruised to a 96-64 win. But when the Lobos travel to UNLV on Tuesday, coach Don Flanagan said he will be more concerned with how his sophomore point guard handles the ball than how many points she puts up.

Tournament bid could hinge on UNLV game

The UNM men's basketball team has a chance to make a statement before entering the Mountain West Conference Tournament when it faces UNLV on Tuesday at The Pit. In the first meeting this season, the Rebels beat the Lobos 79-60 at the Thomas and Mack Center, which is hosting the MWC Tournament for its second consecutive year.

Sports in Brief

Softball UNM used solid pitching and defense to sweep Oklahoma State at home this weekend. The Lobos improved to 9-5 on the season and have won five games in a row. UNM won Friday's season-opener 5-4 in dramatic fashion, as Sara Loeffelholz hit a walk-off double in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie.

3 seniors to leave their legacy

Tuesday night's battle with UNLV will mark the last regular-season home game in the careers of J.R. Giddens, Jamaal Smith and Darren Prentice. Here is a breakdown of the seniors' final seasons: J.R. Giddens Giddens has been outstanding this season, averaging 15.

Lobos off to perfect start

Senior lefty Jacob Norton flourished in his first start of the season, and the offense provided more than enough power. The UNM baseball team improved to 5-0 after beating Texas Tech 7-3 on Wednesday at Isotopes Park. Norton pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits and two walks, striking out three.

UNM junior wins conference, breaks school pentathlon record

Staff report UNM's Sandy Fortner secured a spot at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a breakthrough first-place title in the pentathlon at the Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field championships Thursday evening. The junior smashed the previous school record by her former coach, Keren Sari-Bentzur, by 160 points with a final tally of 4,005.

Poor shooting plagues Lobos in loss

The UNM men's basketball team's heartbreaking 70-69 loss to BYU on Tuesday will be remembered for the Cougars snatching the win in the final seconds. But as disappointing as the sequence was, the game was lost for the Lobos during regulation. UNM entered the game leading the nation in 3-point accuracy, but was just 3-of-21 on Tuesday.

Staff Report: Lobos beat BYU on road

The UNM women's basketball team rebounded from a tough home loss to Utah by defeating BYU 55-45 on the road Tuesday. With the win, the Lobos improved to 15-12 overall and 7-7 in Mountain West Conference play. Dionne Marsh scored 17 points and moved into second place on UNM's all-time scoring list.

From the Sports Gutter

Welcome to another edition of "From the Sports Gutter." This week, the topic is NCAA basketball. Outstanding freshmen have helped make college basketball more exciting in the past couple years. Meanwhile, here in Albuquerque, the UNM men's basketball team has been on fire lately and is making a late-season push to the top of the Mountain West Conference and trying to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.