"Holy Cow!"
"My God, Magnum!"
"Unbelievable"
Those were some of the quotes from fans and along press row as the Lobos completely shut down Florida for a 48-24 first-half lead.
Forget Texas. Forget Minnesota.
It was the best half of basketball the Lobos have played all season, turning a completely effort to disorient the Gators and take control of the game.
UNM leaped out to an 11-2 lead, weathered an 8-0 Florida run, then never looked back. They led by as many as 25 points and went into half with a healthy 24-point lead.
New Mexico calmly passed its way through Florida's press and capitalized on its height advantage.
The Lobos also shot lights out from the perimeter.
Junior point guard Katie Montgomery led the team with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. Sopphomore forward Dionne Marsh added 13 points.
New Mexico shot 56.7 percent from the field, 38.5 from 3-point range and 81.8 percent from the freethrow line.
Florida senior forward Dalila Eshe led her team with nine points.
The Gators struggled on offense, shooting 28.6 from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range.
New Mexico held a 21 to 15 rebounding advantage. The Lobos forced 11 turnovers and gave up 10.
The only sign of trouble for New Mexico was a pile of first-half fouls. Montgomery, senior guard Abbie Letz, junior guard Julie Briody and freshman forward Angela Hartill all have two fouls apiece.
Lobos coach Don Flanagan observed his rule of never letting a player with two fouls stay on the court in the first half, and New Mexico reserves still maintained the vast lead.
Freshman guard Rachel Majewski may have had the highlight moment of an injury-riddled year, scoring in front of her hometown crowd to end the half.
Check back for more after the game.

Posted by ilimon at 09:27 PM | Permalink