No. 18 New Mexico earned a 75-59 win over fiesty North Dakota State (3-4) in The Pit Saturday night.
The Lobos relied on balanced scoring and shifted 6-0 guard Abbie Letz to fowrard to clinch the Lobo Shootout tournament title.
Letz led the Lobos with a career-high 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Junior guard Julie Briody finished with 16 points and two rebounds, sophomore forward Dionne Marsh added 15 points and five rebounds and senior center Jana Francis added 11 points and two rebounds.
North Dakota State guard Lisa Bue led the Bison with 18 points, while Danni Heintzelman added 17.
Letz played an intregal role for the Lobos when Francis and Marsh were saddled with foul trouble, ending the game with four apiece.
"Abbie's a warrior," Lobos coach Don Flanagan said.
The Bison used a box-and-one defense in the first half to shackle Lobos junior point guard Katie Montgomery. Flanagan said the team opted to use her as a decoy, setting screens and springing other players.
New Mexico led by nine early but North Dakota State clawed back into the game and pulled within three points with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
Montgomery hit one of two freethrows for the Lobos, stole the ball off New Mexico's half-court press and nailed a 50-foot three-pointer as time ran in the half.
"I thought Katie's shot was huge because it really gave us mometum and put us up seven at the half," Flanagan said.
The Lobos played stronger transition and low-post defense in the second half, leading by as many as 17 points.
Letz was named tournament MVP. Marsh, Heitzelman, Louisiana Monroe's April O'Neal and Creighton's Angie Janis were named to the all tournament team.
Louisiana Monroe knocked off Creighton 61-60 with dramatic flare in the consolation game.
The Lady Indians trailed by three points with three seconds remaining when Creighton fouled LaJeanna Howard as she was attempting a 3-pointer.
Howard missed the first, hit the second and intentionally missed the third.
Louisiana Monroe rebounded and fed the ball to O'Neal, who knocked down a 3-pointer as time ran out.
"It proves you shouldn't foul with a 3-point lead," Flanagan said. "If you foul, it's the only way you can lose. The worst that can happen by playing defense is end up tied."

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