The Lobos are gunning for a first-round bye in the Mountain West Tournament and the Bulldogs are the only team in conference the squad has failed to beat this season. UNM also has an opportunity to finish first in conference if Colorado State (21-6, 13-3 Mountain West) does not win out.
A win against Fresno State will preserve the team’s current 11-game winning streak at WisePies Arena. If the Lobos come out victorious, they will have the most conference wins in school history.
New Mexico will also recognize guard Antiesha Brown’s and center Maddie Muraida’s final game at home.
“It’s probably the most special day,” head coach Yvonne Sanchez said. “They will be honored by an unbelievable fan base and by a really difficult game on Saturday.”
This weekend Sanchez will coach the final home game in her current four-year contract. Her $264,000-per-year contract expires April 30. Neither the UNM Athletics Department nor Sanchez have released information regarding negotiations.
Sanchez said she is not approaching the game emotionally; the team is focused on the difficult task of beating the Bulldogs.
“It’s always a little emotional, but that’s why we do it afterwards,” Sanchez said. “Fresno is a great team, and they are the only team we haven’t beaten in conference, so we know how good they are.”
Muraida is the only true center on the team and played all four years in Cherry and Silver. Muraida, an Albuquerque native, said her final home game has been a long time coming, but she said she is thrilled her final contest will be against a quality opponent.
“I’m really happy I get to share such a special day with Antiesha (Brown),” Muraida said. “I’m really excited to play such a difficult team because I know it’s going to be a good matchup.”
Brown is also a New Mexico native, and although she ventured to Texas Tech her freshman year, the guard found a bundle of success upon her homecoming return. She led UNM in scoring last year and is leading the team in points this season as well.
“It’s tough thinking about my last night at The Pit because it has been my first game in so many realms,” Brown said. “It was my first State Championship game; it was my first collegiate game. It’s really overwhelming, but I have made a lot of good memories.”
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Brown said she is taking the game as another stepping stone in the season as the team looks to continue finding success well beyond the regular season. With two regular-season games before the Mountain West Conference Championships, Brown said the time to polish off any weaknesses is now.
“After Wyoming, every game could be our last and that’s how we’re approaching it,” Brown said. “We’re going to be playing to win and not (trying) ‘not to lose.’”
Fresno State will be a good test for UNM before the conference tourney. A loss to the Bulldogs (19-7, 11-4 MW) would bump New Mexico down to third place in the standings and hinder the Lobos’ chances of getting a first-round bye.
Saturday’s contest will feature two of the better defenses in the conference. New Mexico (16-11, 12-4 Mountain West) is allowing 60.2 points per game (fourth MW) and Fresno State only allows 59.3 per contest (second MW).
Sanchez said the Lobos are going to be looking to get the ball inside against the best team in conference at guarding the 3-pointer. Opponents only have a success rate of 27.9 percent beyond the arc versus the Bulldogs.
“We’ve done really well scoring inside the paint,” Sanchez said. “We still have to emphasize that. They’re high-percentage shots, you can get three-point plays, and that’s what we need to do.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is the assistant sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or @Liam_CE.
