The women's basketball team defeated the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions 75-74 on Wednesday, Nov. 15. It was a back and forth game with the largest lead being seven from the University of New Mexico. The team improved to 4-0 on the season.
The Lions are coached by Valerie King. King had spent the last 13 seasons working with Head Coach Mike Bradbury – seven of them being at UNM. Former Lobo star Jaedyn De La Cerda is in her first coaching position and is one of the winningest players in program history – being 10th all-time in scoring.
Both were treated to cheers from the crowd before the game. After the game, Bradbury talked about the state of King’s team.
“We played them last year and they didn’t look like this. Let me tell you, they got a good coach down there. Sometimes it takes two, three, four years to turn a team around. Well, she's about to do it in one,” Bradbury said.
Last season, the Lobos defeated A&M-Commerce 78-71. Bradbury went on to talk about what made this game difficult and what it took to win.
“We both run the exact same offense, we run the exact same defense, so it was just going to come down to who could do it better or who could make enough shots,” Bradbury said.
The Lobos had four players in double-digit scoring. Nyah Wilson had a heroic fourth quarter performance, scoring 15 of her 22 points in the quarter.
Charlotte Kohl had a double-double with 14 points, 20 rebounds and four blocks. She also deterred the potential game-losing shot at the end of the game. She was the first Lobo to put up 20 rebounds since 2016. After the game, she talked about how the team’s mentality and trust is what allowed them to get the win.
“We knew it's going to be hard, but we really tried to have a positive attitude – to stick together and really be confident in each other, and I think that really helped us towards the end to be confident on defense, getting the last stop and then getting that win,” Kohl said.
Aniyah Augmon and Paula Reus scored 16 and 11 respectively, and each made big plays to win the game.
The team took care of business but left a lot of points on the table. They went 10-20 from the free throw line and had 18 turnovers in the game. It was defense and some late shot-making that won them the game.
A&M-Commerce also had four players in double digit scoring. Mary Delgado came off the bench and led the team in scoring with 19. Mia Deck scored 18.
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Deck scored the first points of the game but Lobo Kohl tied it back up with a layup and made her and-one free throw. The two teams traded baskets throughout the first quarter but the Lobos were down 21-20 going into the second quarter.
UNM took over at the end of the second quarter and started finding their way to the basket. They drove to the basket for four straight layups and an 8-0 Lobo run. The team was on top, 42-37 going into the third quarter.
The Lions started the half hot and took the lead with a Jordyn Newsome three-pointer, but the Lobos took back the lead with a Vianè Cumber layup which led to a media timeout with the Lobos up 49-47 with 3:33 left in the quarter.
Out of the timeout, the Lions rattled off seven straight points. Augmon slowed them down with a layup and an assist to Cumber. The Lobos were down 57-54 at the end of the third.
Wilson took over the Lobo offense – scoring 11 straight to tie the game. Kohl grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a layup to put the Lobos up 67-65 with 4:11 remaining.
The Lions refused to give in. Delgado scored a three-pointer but Reus backed down her defender for a layup to put the Lobos up 75-74. A&M-Commerce called a timeout with possession and 19.8 left in the game.
Lobos played stellar defense and forced another timeout from the Lions after the inbound with six seconds left.
After the Lions inbounded the ball, the Lobos kept the ball in front of them. After Deck drove the lane, six feet and five inches Kohl was waiting for her and caused a missed shot. Lobos won 75-74.
The Lobos next play in Cancun, Mexico in the Cancun Challenge starting on Nov. 23 against Montana State.
Thomas Bulger is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @thomasbulger10
Thomas Bulger is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @thomasbulger10
