ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Southern Utah University women's basketball team played lockdown defense to hand the University of New Mexico its first home loss of the season with a score of 58-40 on Thursday, Dec. 7 at The Pit. The Thunderbirds improve to 3-5 with the win, while the Lobos fall to 7-3 on the season.
HEAD COACH TRACY MASON SAYS
"I'm really proud of our performance tonight. I thought we played really good defense for 40 minutes. They stuck to the game plan, executed offensively, and played fearless. This is a team that is capable of great things."
T-BIRD TIDBITS
-
Megan Smith hustled on both ends of the court, leading the team with 14 points and a career-high five blocks.
-
Ava Uhrich (13) and Daylani Ballena (11) each scored in double figures for the Thunderbirds.
-
Samantha Johnston and Uhrich each corralled eight rebounds to lead the team.
-
Many players contributed to the defensive battle, with Uhrich, Smith, and Ballena each recording two steals.
GAME RECAP
First Half
Charli Kay opened the Thunderbirds' attack, drilling a three pointer at the 9:05 mark in the first quarter. After the Lobos briefly took a 5-3 lead, a pair of triples from Ava Uhrich and Samantha Johnston sparked a 15-4 run that gave SUU a 18-9 advantage heading into the second period of play.
Daylani Ballena and Megan Smith sparked a 6-0 burst to push SUU in front 24-9 with 7:18 left in the first half. New Mexico battled back, scoring nine of the next 12 points to get back within single digits, 24-16, midway through the quarter. A balanced attack offensively helped the T-Birds stretch their lead to 33-21 at the break.
Second Half
Ballena and Uhrich came out hot to start the second half, fueling a 7-3 run to extend the lead to 40-24 with 7:11 on the clock. The two squads traded baskets for the rest of the period, with SUU holding a 46-33 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Southern Utah stayed aggressive in the final frame, using a 9-2 sprint to claim a 55-35 lead with 4:29 remaining in the game. The lead proved to be insurmountable, as the Thunderbirds cruised to the finish line with a 58-40 victory.
UP NEXT
Southern Utah will enjoy over a week of rest, as the team prepares to host the University of Utah on Saturday, Dec. 16. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. MT.
FOLLOW US
For all the latest on Southern Utah women's basketball, follow @SUUWBasketball on Twitter and Instagram and like the Southern Utah Women's Basketball Facebook page.
DONATE
To help support Thunderbird athletics consider making a donation today! To learn more about how you can support click here.
