Head coach Yvonne Sanchez said the defense has been the key component of UNM’s recent success. She said the ability to trust each of her players on the defensive side of the ball is a unique feature she hasn’t had in past years.
“That’s the only way some players are going to play,” Sanchez said. “If you can defend and rebound, that’s what you’re going to be able to get minutes from.”
San Jose State (9-9, 3-4 Mountain West), which the team faces this Saturday, has the most potent offense in the conference by far, scoring 81.6 points per game. The team with the second most is Boise State (13-5, 5-2 MW), with 73.2 points per affair.
“We’ve got to stop the ball in the back court,” Sanchez said. “What they do well is they outrun you, then they throw it ahead and figure it out with a layup or a foul or both.”
The Spartans are led by their senior guard Ta’Rea Cunnigan, who averages 16.3 points per game.
The Lobos, however, have held their own against the conference’s top-tier guards. In the past two games against UNLV (6-12, 3-4 MW) and Wyoming (7-10, 2-5 MW), the Lobos have contained three of the five top-scoring guards in the conference.
Freshman guard Laneah Bryan has seen an increase in playing time in her first year as a Lobo because of her ability to manage games with few errors both offensively and defensively.
Bryan said the showdown in California will be evenly matched, with the best offense in the league taking on a sound UNM defense.
“They are an offensive team, and we really hang our hat on our defense,” Bryan said. “Hopefully that can balance out and we can get some stops while getting our offense going too.”
Bryan said the Lobos have been excelling in tough games because of the team’s ability to come together despite the circumstances. She said the confidence Sanchez has instilled in every one of the players has influenced the team as a whole.
The Lobos have played with more of a swagger in the past few games, and find themselves flirting with a .500 record after a 1-7 start. UNM stormed back and is staring at a 9-10 record and a 5-3 showing in conference play.
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“We’re really happy we can get some wins in,” Bryan said. “Hopefully we can keep winning and keep that streak going.”
Sanchez said she has no interest in counting wins and losses. She said her excitement stems from the way her group comes out ready to practice and work.
“I’m not worried about what my record is,” Sanchez said. “If we get better every day, things take care of themselves.”
Although Sanchez may not be looking at the win and loss columns, she said she does want the team to separate from the middle cluster of teams that still have a chance at making moves up the ladder.
“We can’t afford to drop any more games if we want to be up there,” Sanchez said. “We feel pretty comfortable at home, obviously. But we have to win road games.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is the assistant sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on twitter @Liam_CE.
