Head coach Yvonne Sanchez said finishing runner-up in the Lobos' annual Thanksgiving Tournament was disappointing because her team didn't show up to play like it had against tougher opponents.
"We need to find people who are going to step up on the defensive end," Sanchez said. "That's what lost the game for us."
UNM (1-5) jumped out to an early 10-2 lead in the game, but UC Riverside (5-0) battled back in a competitive first half of play.
Brittany Crain carried the Highlanders and took twice as many shots as anyone else on her team, finishing the night with a game-high 31 points. The Lobos tried to throw a variety of different tactics at the junior guard, but had difficulty slowing down the prolific shooter.
"She's just a relentless player," said Lobo redshirt senior guard Antiesha Brown. "She's strong, she knows how to move her body, she knows how to play into the defense's weaknesses ... She knows how to score."
Crain is averaging 29 points per contest and nine rebounds. The Lobos kept the guard in check, only allowing six boards on Saturday, but couldn't keep Crain from taking over the championship game in which she played all 40 minutes.
Brown, the only Lobo to make the all-tournament team, said missed defensive assignments and delayed adjustments propelled Crain and the Highlanders through the second half. She said UNM lost the aggressiveness that the team came out with in the first half.
While Crain had a typical night, UNM's Josie Greenwood played her best game as a Lobo. Greenwood's 15 points in 24 minutes were career-highs, and the forward's two assists tied her previous career-high. The Australia native averaged two points and 3.5 rebounds per game in her four appearances before the Thanksgiving Tournament.
"I'm really working on my positive mindset and working on my nerves," Greenwood said. "I learned that I was trying too hard and I needed to stick to what I know. I let the game come to me."
Greenwood's five offensive boards were a huge contributor in the team's 15 second-chance points, but the Lobos still couldn't finish late in the game without junior guard Bryce Owens or junior forward Alexa Chavez. Both missed the game due to illness.
Sanchez said Greenwood's performance was exactly what she wanted out of the sophomore forward, but the fact that nobody else stepped up is what spoiled UNM's chances.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"It just shows how much we miss Bryce and we miss Alexa," Sanchez said. "They wouldn't have been hesitant, they just wouldn't have."
Sanchez said the lack of offense late in the game was not the most troubling area. She said the disgruntling part of the game was the inability to find a way to control the Highlanders' scorers when the team needed it.
"Not getting stops on the defensive end is more disappointing than anything," Sanchez said. "When we had to make stops on the defensive end, we just didn't do it."
Liam Cary-Eaves is the assistant sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
