Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Pulls Away from Falcons, 73-43
December 11, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 10, 2004
Final Stats | Quotes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The host University of New Mexico used torrid three-point field-goal shooting to build a big second-half run and break open a close game en route to a 73-43 win over the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team. The game, a first-round contest in the Lobo Shootout, was held at University Arena (The Pit) Friday night (Dec. 10).
With the win, the Lobos improve to 5-1 on the season, while the Falcons drop to 3-4 on the year. BGSU will face Utah State University in Saturday's (Dec. 11) round, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Mountain Time (8:00 p.m. Eastern). UNM advances to face San Diego, a 71-68 winner over Utah State Friday, in the championship game.
Sophomores Liz Honegger and Carin Horne each had 10 points for the Falcons, with Honegger pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.
The Lobos got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Lindsey Arndt, while Katie Montgomery was 5-of-6 from three-point range en route to 17 points off the bench.
The hosts used an early 12-0 run to take a 14-3 lead, and seemed to be on their way to an easy victory. But, the Brown and Orange would battle back.
UNM got three-point field goals from Julie Briody and Mandi Moore to take a 24-8 lead with 8:11 left before halftime. Freshman Whitney Taylor answered with a triple at the other end, and senior Sakima Smith split a pair of free throws, cutting the margin to 24-12, but the Lobos scored six of the game's next eight points to take a 30-14 lead and force Falcon coach Curt Miller to call a timeout.
After that timeout, the Brown and Orange proceeded to hold the Lobos scoreless for the final 4:53 of the half, scoring the last 10 points before the intermission. Ali Mann scored off a Honegger entry pass, and fellow sophomore Megan Thorburn followed with a driving shot in the lane.
Then, Honegger hit a three-pointer off a Mann pass, and Mann hit a free throw. When junior Casey McDowell scored a bucket with 29 seconds left, and the Falcons got a final defensive stand, the Brown and Orange headed up the long ramp to the lockerroom trailing by only six points, 30-24.
The Falcons had a field-goal percentage of 40.9% in the opening 20 minutes, while holding UNM to a success rate of 36.7% from the floor.
In the second half, however, the hosts turned the tables, making 17-of-26 shots from the field (65.4%), including a 7-of-9 (77.8%) performance from three-point land in the final 20 minutes. For the game, UNM went 11-for-20 (55.0%) from behind the arc.
The half's opening sequence foreshadowed what was to come. On the first possession of the half, McDowell's three-point try rattled in-and-out, and the Lobos grabbed the rebound. Then, at the other end, Montgomery hit a triple. Instead of trailing by just three points, the Falcons were down by nine.
UNM continued that early second-half success, scoring the first seven points of the half to go ahead by a 37-24 count. The Falcons battled back to within 10 points, at 40-30, but from that point on, the Lobos seemingly could not miss.
UNM proceeded to go on a 20-2 run, capped by 15-straight Lobo points. Arndt had eight points during that span, while Moore hit a pair of triples. When the smoke had cleared, the Lobos led by a 60-32 score.
New Mexico shot an even 50 percent for the game, while the Falcons shot 32.0%, including 25.0% in the second half. BGSU made six three-pointers in 22 attempts.
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