by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
It wasn't the cakewalk some people might have expected.
After the UNM women's basketball team throttled Colorado State in a 31-point win on the road last month, Wednesday's rematch at The Pit was a battle until the final minutes.
The Lobos won 77-66, but the Rams gave them all they could handle for most of the game.
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UNM head coach Don Flanagan said the Lobos had trouble matching the Rams' intensity at times.
"I think we could have given a better effort," he said. "Every game now is extremely important. This is just as important - it's a win in conference - as any win."
With the win, the Lobos improved to 18-7 overall and 8-4 in the Mountain West Conference and are riding a six-game winning streak. CSU dropped to 7-17 overall and 2-10 in the conference.
Senior guard Julie Briody had an impressive offensive performance, scoring 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting. She also grabbed eight rebounds. Katie Montgomery added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Timi E-Nunu, known for her defensive presence, scored a career-high 11 points and had five rebounds.
E-Nunu just had some scoring opportunities fall her way,
she said.
"It sort of came to me," she said. "I wasn't really focused on scoring more tonight. It's a great feeling."
Briody entered the game as UNM's leading scorer at 15 points per game. In Saturday's overtime win against Brigham Young, she scored just two points.
She carried the Lobo offense Wednesday, knocking down 3-of-6 from 3-point range and adding seven free throws.
Briody said she didn't have to force anything against the Rams.
"I thought I just had a few nice looks tonight and was able to take my shots within the context of the offense," she said.
Although UNM finished with a double-digit win, CSU stayed close for much of the contest. The Lobos didn't go on many extended runs and didn't pull away until the last couple minutes.
CSU's Sara Hunter was one of the players who helped keep it a tight contest. She finished with 22 points for the Rams and nailed 5-of-8 from 3-point range.
Briody said Hunter found a rhythm against the Lobos.
"She's a great player, but everything she shot went in there for a while," she said. "We were looking for her to have a little bit better game this time around. I thought she did a nice job."
Women's basketball at Air Force
Saturday, noon
Colorado Springs, Colo.
