The conference opener was an interesting game for the Lobos (8-4, 1-0), as they had a tough time creating separation from the Nevada Wolf Pack (1-11, 0-1). If you read our preview, we highlighted how it should have been an easy road win for the Lobos and it was anything but that. The Lobos didn’t have the service of Jaisa Nunn and Alexa Chavez got hurt in the first half, which limited their interior depth. Without Nunn, the Lobos needed Khadijah Shumpert to stay out of foul trouble and the Lobos didn’t get that, as Shumpert fouled out in 20 minutes of action. With everything that happened in the game, I was proud of how the Lobos fought and never game up the lead in the game. I think this will be a lesson for this young Lobo team that you can’t take any team for granted, even more so on the road. Without Nunn playing and Chavez getting hurt, Kianna Keller was the only bench player to play over 10 minutes. The Lobos bench production needs to be better for the Lobos to be the team that they want to be.
Game Recap
First Half:
The first half of this game was not pretty basketball, as the Wolf Pack didn’t score until there was 3:06 left in the first quarter but the Lobos hadn’t created much separation, having scored only 7 points at that point. The last 3 minutes of action saw the play start to pick up with more energy and scoring, as the Lobos led after the first quarter 11-7. In the second quarter, it looked like the Lobos were going to run away with the game, as they got the lead to as big as 12, but a Wolf Pack run in the last 2 minutes of the half cut the Lobos’ lead to 23-17. The Lobo defense in the first half held the Wolf Pack to 25.9% shooting from the floor, but their offense shot only 35.7%. Cherise Beynon led the Lobos with 8 first-half points while the season’s leading scorer Shumpert was held scoreless in the first half.
Second Half:
The Lobos came out of the locker room with great energy and got the lead back up to 12 in the first couple of minutes, but again the Wolf Pack would respond and stay in touch with the Lobos. The Wolf Pack controlled the last 6 minutes of the quarter, outscoring the Lobos by 8 during that span to close the Lobo lead at the end of the third quarter to 35-31. The Lobos found themselves in a fight, needing a good 4th quarter to start conference play with a road win. The 4th quarter was back-and-forth action that never saw the Lobos lead get bigger than 6 and the game became a tossup when Shumpert fouled out with 5:37 left. At that point, the Lobos lead was 40-37, but a quick three by the Wolf Pack tied the game and made the Lobos wonder if they could hold on to win the game. The Lobos kept fighting and never gave up the lead, ultimately winning the game by hitting their free throws to win the game 51-47. It wasn’t a pretty win, but a road win where you didn’t play your best is always a welcomed sign.
Players of the Game
As with the Men’s Team, we will give three Players of the Game with the same breakdown as the Men’s Team. (3 points for first, 2 points for second, and 1 point for third).
- Laneah Bryan (6 points on the season): The sophomore point guard had a fantastic game for the Lobos, finishing with 5 points (2-3 shooting), 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 7 assists and only 1 turnover. If the Lobos can get this production from Bryan, the Lobos will be a tough team to beat in conference play.
- Bryce Owens (6 points on the season): The senior point guard had a very productive game for the Lobos, finishing with 13 points (5-12 shooting), 7 rebounds, and 2 steals. Owens clearly wasn’t asked to be a playmaker for others in the game, as she finished with 0 assists and 4 turnovers.
- Cherise Beynon (19 points on the season): It wasn’t Beynon’s best game, but she was still productive and the Lobos wouldn’t have won if it wasn’t for her. Beynon finished with a team high 14 points (6-18 shooting), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals, but she did have 7 turnovers. If Beynon had hit a couple more shots she would have been number 2 on this list.
Picks
I will be picking games this season for all MW conference games straight up. In the first day of action, I went a terrible 1-3, as a couple of teams got very impressive road wins. Let’s hope that the picks will get better.
Saturday Picks (Winners in Bold):
CSU vs. Boise State
New Mexico vs. Fresno State
Wyoming vs. Nevada
SDSU vs. Utah State
SJSU vs. Air Force
Up Next
The Lobos return to WisePies Arena AKA The PIT to take on Fresno State (5-7, 1-0) in a Saturday afternoon game. The Lobos look to get back to winning ways at home, where they have lost two straight games.