The UNM women's basketball team starts the season where it left off last year - in the Women's National Invitational Tournament. However, this year is the preseason version and the Lobos will display a new offensive system tonight when they face the University of the Pacific in the first round at 7 p.m. in The Pit.
The Lobos ended last season with a second place finish in the WNIT and have switched to a triangle offense this year. The offense is predicated on guards cutting to the basket and lots of passing.
Junior guard Chelsea Grear says that the change will help open things up for the players.
"It will create a lot of disturbance because there are so many cuts going on," she said. "There is a lot of movement. Where as last year there were only certain players that would do certain cuts and do certain moves in our offense, but now each player is going in, they are cutting and getting the ball to someone else. We are just going to tire out the defense a lot."
The Lobos will try to exhaust the Cougars, who are picked second in the Big West Conference after a 17-11 record and a second place finish last season.
Pacific returns four starters, including flashy point guard Selena Ho. She led the Cougars in scoring last season, averaging 15.5 points per game as a junior.
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Head coach Don Flanagan says that a key to winning tonight will be to restrict Ho's game and not let her get a good look at the basket.
"We have to pick her up early and hope we can defend her," he said. "She is one of those kids that you have to say 'shooter' every time she has the ball and that is most of the time. We have to pressure her inside 24 feet because she'll shoot it from 24."
Flanagan said containing Ho will not be the only concern for the Lobos because Pacific has a very talented and experienced team. He said they are a well-coached, versatile team that can play up-tempo and use a half-court offense.
The Cougars 6-foot-3-inch post Gillian d'Hondt will be the obstacle for UNM junior post Jordan Adams. Flanagan says d' Hondt could bother Adam's game, but added that it also will be a good match up to see. Adams returns as the Lobos' leading scorer with 14.5 points per game last season.
Grear says the Lobos' offensive philosophy should work against Pacific.
"A lot of times they are going to try doubling our post, which will open our guards and our outside shooting," she said. "But then on top of that, Pacific, they like to double the first pass out to the guards, so that will open a lot inside for the post."
Flanagan said he hopes to see a big crowd tonight because Pacific is a challenging team.
"This is a tough test for us right off the bat," he said. "It should be an outstanding first game of the season."
