I have a story in today's Trib about New Mexico potentially launching a new bowl game.
ESPN is providing the New Mexico Sports Authority with a $2 million line of credit. ESPN will broadcast the game on one of its networks. It will pair teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences. The game will be played sometime before Christmas this year.
All that's missing is approval from the NCAA bowl licensing committee. The group will meet April 27-28 in Orlando to decide the bowl's fate.
UNM Athletics Director Rudy Davalos and WAC Commissioner Karl Benson expect the plan to be approved.
So now comes the fun part.
What would you name the new bowl game?
The Chile Bowl?
The Balloon Bowl?
The Land of Enchantment Bowl?
Post your suggestions in the comments section, and we'll publish the best ones in The Tribune.

Posted by ilimon at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Forward Christian Shelter, who committed to play for the New Mexico women's basketball team, earned Alabama player of the year honors in the private school division.
She averaged 20.7 points and 9.5 rebounds during her senior year.
Fellow recruit Amy Beggin, a point guard who already signed her letter of intent, is a candidate for Minnesota player of the year.

Posted by ilimon at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In the middle of a really exciting women's NCAA regional final, I heard Mayfield star Carissa McGee was facing attempted murder charges after her mother and older sister, fellow basketball player Marie, were stabbed.
It was stunning to everyone in The Pit who follows New Mexico girls prep basketball.
Carissa was, by far, the top girls basketball player in the state. She had a bright future and it looks like that may have come to an awful end
Marie McGee, 17, had committed to play for Arizona. Several Wildcats coaches were heading for El Paso today to visit her in the hospital. You have to feel for them and wonder what their program is enduring with the death of Shawtinice Polk before the season began.
UNM was recruiting the younger McGee, as was just about every top Division I program in the region. It looked like Arizona had the inside track after signing her older sister. Now, even if the charges are dropped or she is found not guilty, I'd be surprised to see her at any big-name program.

Posted by ilimon at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I would have bet money on Shona Thorburn hitting both those freethrows and putting Utah in the Final Four. She missed and they lost 75-65 to Maryland in overtime.
There's no other Ute player I would want on the line if I were a Utah fan or coach.
Mike Roberts was with me on this one, but credit Jeff Carlton for predicting she would miss at least one freethrow.
His logic was Thorburn was too nice to hold up under the pressure.
ESPN commentators said all Thorburn will remember from the Utes' Elite Eight run is missing that shot.
I wouldn't be quite that dramatic.
I think she'll hurt for a long time, but she is pretty comfortable with her legacy. She achieved some remarkable things for Utah and the Mountain West Conference.
Her bond with Kim Smith and most of the top players on Utah's team will continue with their growing roles on the Canadian national team.
Here's our recap of the game and Jeff Carlton's story on what Utah's postseason run means for the women's basketball in the Mountain West Conference.
In other news, Wyoming's Joe Legerski got a two-year contract extension. He's done a great job breathing life into the Cowgirls program, and I think the school should reward him for his efforts in Laramie.

Posted by ilimon at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Utah expects point guard Shona Thorburn to return in the second half after she sprained her right ankle.
There must be something about playing TCU that kills point guards.
Thorburn, like Lobo Katie Montgomery, severely rolled her ankle in Utah's regular season home finale and had to go for the emergency room for X-rays.
Two days later, she was heavily taped and played 44 minutes at Wyoming. She hit the game-winning shot and ignited the start of Utah's impressive post-season run.
She crumbled with about five minutes remaining, rolling the ankle again.
The Utes need her back in the lineup to maintain this pace.
Utah packed the paint and dared Maryland to knock down 3-pointers. The Terps went four-of-14 from 3-point range.
Terps star center Crystal Langhorne was held to four points and three rebounds. Maryland's top scorer was freshman guard Kristi Toliver, who scored eight points.
Senior guard Julie Larsen led Utah with eight points.
Utes' senior forward Kim Smith went 0-for-6 from the field but grabbed 10 rebounds.
Maryland looked extremely lathargic compared to its dynamic play against Baylor Saturday night.
More after the game.

Posted by ilimon at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'll go out on a limb and say Utah's sweet run is about to end.
The Utes made the most of a great seeding and favorable matchups, but Maryland is the real deal.
Utah plays tough and smart basketball, but the Terps could win it all.
More at halftime.

Posted by ilimon at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was hard not to watch this one and keep thinking it could of been the Lobos.
You've gotta hand it to Utah for making the most of the hand its been dealt, earning a 57-54 win over Boston College to advance to the Elite Eight.
The Utes' magic will face a serious test when it takes on Maryland at 5 p.m. Monday in The Pit for a shot to play in the Final Four.
Utah freshman Joh-Teena Filipe led the Utes with 11 points, while Kim Smith and Shona Thorburn added 10 apiece.
While Maryland's 82-63 trashing of Baylor was a work of near perfection, the Utah and Boston College game was a war in the trenches.
The final three minutes were marred by turnovers, errant shots and missed freethrows. The Utes clung to a three-point lead with two minutes remaining and somehow stretched it into a win.
"It was just sort of a gutty deal where every rebound matters because neither team's shots were falling," Utah coach Elaine Elliott said.
Utah was not booed but didn't earn an especially rowdy response from Lobo fans. They pretty much just watched the game.
Elliott, however, thanked Albuquerque fans.
"We were a little worried coming in, but these fans have been tremendous supporters of women's basketball and it was incredible to feel their support," she said.

Posted by ilimon at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Baylor looked huge in Tucson, towering over the competition during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
But when the Lady Bears lined up next to Maryland tonight in The Pit, it looked like their entire lineup dropped 20 pounds and two inches.
Maryland sophomore forward Crystal Langhorne turned in a stellar performance, lighting up the Lady Bears for 34 points and 15 rebounds.
Baylor's Sophia Young clawed her way to 26 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome a deficit that swelled to 20 points several times during the first and second half.
"She was just on fire," teammate Jade Perry said. "We all score, but it's been the Crystal Langhorne show. She's always been good, but tonight she took it to another level."
The Terps play the winner of the Utah-Boston College game now under way.
The Utes received a warm round of applause when they hit the court, but it seemed more polite than an enthusiastic response from a typical Lobo crowd.
Check the Trib's Web site later tonight for a full story on Maryland's win and this blog for updates on the Utah-Boston College game.

Posted by ilimon at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I took a little break from the blogosphere, but I promise updates all night for the women's basketball fans who couldn't make it to The Pit this weekend.
I'm biased since I'm covering this region, but I happen to think it has some of the most intriguing Sweet 16 matchups and could provide some great games.
Of course, I also thought Oklahoma would go the Final Four and was stunned when the Sooners got smoked by Stanford. I know Stanford is impressive, but the Cardinal was pretty remarkable today.
We've got some great pre-game coverage in today's Tribune.
Jeff Carlton wrote about fans and the economic impact of the tournament, I wrote about the four teams and their underdog mentality, Richard Stevens did a great story on Utah's Shona Thorburn, I did a profile of Baylor's Sophia Young, Jeff Carlton added a story on Maryland's Crystal Langhorne and Stevens added another column on what all this women's basketball hoopla means for the Lobos.
Check back for more at halftime of the Baylor-Maryland game.

Posted by ilimon at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I did a season recap and preview of next year in today's Tribune.
Coach Don Flanagan and the players mostly rated themselves as overachievers because of the tough schedule and injuries they overcame.
It didn't make the story, but Katie Montgomery said she thought the team didn't quite overachieve because the Lobos lost close games they easily could have won on the road.
The injury bug could have an impact on next year's team depending on how Montgomery recovers from off-season foot surgery and the extent of sophomore forward Dionne Marsh's thigh injury.
The Lobos look promising next season except for the gap at center. Flanagan's decision to play Abbie Letz at the four a lot and his impatience for mistakes may have hindered Angela Hartill's development. That may have been why you saw so much of Hartill in the second half against Baylor.
I think the Lobos overachieved considering Letz, Jana Francis and Judy Vogt were not supposed to be anything more than role players at best.
They didn't hold it together in conference play but picked up some pretty big wins to compesate for erratic road play.
Next year's team ought to continue the steady progress of the program.
It will feature some interesting moves, including the possibility of recruit Amy Beggin starting at point and Montgomery moving to shooting guard. Flanagan also looks for Marsh's continued development and dominance.
What do you think?
Did the Lobos overachieve?
Will next year's team keep pace with the ever rising standards of New Mexico women's basketball?

Posted by ilimon at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

It's tough to look at Utah's 86-65 win over Arizona State and not think about what could have been if the Lobos had managed a better run through the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
The Utes got the best draw by virtue of winning the conference tournament title and advance to the Sweet 16 with wins over Middle Tennessee and the Sun Devils.
Utah earned the big win over Arizona State two hours away from its home court in Tempe.
The Utes rallied from a 15 second-half deficit to notch a blowout.
Senior Kim Smith and Shona Thorburn stepped up when it counted. Smith finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. Thorburn nearly earned her second career triple double with 24 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Fellow senior Julie Larsen added 19 points.
"It's just a testament to our team that we keep believing in ourselves and just keep on battling back," Smith said.
Utah contained Arizona State's top scoring force, center Kristen Kovesdy, limiting her to 11 points and four rebounds.
Center Amy Denson picked up the slack , adding 14 points, and forward Emily Westerberg added 11, but it wasn't enough to overcome a late Utah run.
So how do you think Lobo fans will respond to seeing the Utes in The Pit?
What about Baylor, the team that knocked out the Lobos?
Do the Utes and Lady Bears deserve cheers or jeers?
Sound off in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The mood in the New Mexico locker room was relatively upbeat despite an 87-67 loss to Baylor that ended the Lobos' season.
The team came out firing, taking a seven point lead in the first half and fought back from a double digit deficit in the second half to trail by six at the eight minute mark.
Baylor, however, extended its defense and slammed the door on the Lobos.
"We let some things get away from us, and I don't think the 20-point loss was an indication of how hard we played," senior guard Abbie Letz. "We worked hard together, and I'm really proud of this team. We never gave up from a fight all season."

Check our Web site for a complete report later tonight.

Posted by ilimon at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos have to thank Julie Briody.
Without her 13 points, five them ending a painful scoring drought, New Mexico would be a much deeper hole at the half.
The Lobos survived a 16-4 Baylor run and more than five scoreless minutes to enter the locker room down 44-38.
They led by as many as seven at the 8:24 mark, but failed to get cut off the Lady Bears' perimeter shooters after double teaming the low post or cutting off drives. The Lobos know Jordan Davis (#22) is a hot perimeter shooter, but they left her open and she hit three-of-four 3-pointers for nine points.
New Mexico is shooting an impressive 52 percent against Baylor's tight defense, while the Lady Bears struggled for 39 percent field-goal shooting. Baylor out-rebounded the Lobos 21 to 15.
The Dionne Marsh-Sophia Young show has been impressive so far.
Marsh has 15 points and six rebounds, while Young has six points and eight rebounds.
Tight officiating frustrated both coaches.
Baylor's Chameka Scott has 3 fouls andd teammates Abiola Wabara and Angela Tisdale have two apiece. All three are starters.
New Mexico's Abbie Letz picked up two early fouls, then Brandi Kimble and Briody were saddled with two apiece. Lobos coach Don Flanagan took an uncharacteristic gamble leaving Briody in despite the two fouls.
The Lobos didn't back down and didn't look intimidated, but they need a strong second half to pull out a win.

Posted by ilimon at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All Lobos, including Abbie Letz and her sore back, looked good during shoot around.
The only pre-game surprise is the Lobos' starting lineup.
Coach Don Flanagan can change his mind at the last second, but it appears he will be starting senior Judy Vogt in place of sophomore Brandi Kimble. He started Vogt in the second half against Florida and she played most of the game. She responded with eight assists, while Kimble struggled under the Gators' pressure.
I think the Lobos need Kimble to play well off the bench, along with contributions from Julie Briody to win this game. We'll see what happens.
I also just got off the phone with the UNM Ticket Office. They expect an all out blitz on regional tickets if the Lobos win tonight.
They encourage fans to buy online tonight or risk huge lines Tuesday morning.
Check back at halftime for another update.

Posted by ilimon at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's game day!
You gotta love March Madness and the energy of the teams fighting to get into the Sweet 16.
I think the parity is pretty impressive on the women's side this year, with the Mountain West going 4-0 and three of the four 11 seeds collecting upset wins over six seeds.
As you anxiously await tipoff, here's some stuff to read. I have a game preview with a scouting report of Baylor, Richard Stevens' weighs in on our best-win-ever debate and we have a podcast previewing the big game. We've also got some nice pictures thanks to our photographer Steve St. John.
Check back for halftime and post-game blogs following both Tucson games. I'll also have an in-depth Web-story and Steve will have a picture posted pretty quickly after the game.

Posted by ilimon at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's the roundup from all the teams still standing in Tucson:

NEW MEXICO
The Lobos' blowout of Florida was the talk of the McKale Center Sunday.
Arizona State and Baylor got big wins, but New Mexico pulled off the upset (an 11th seed upset of a sixth seed) and did so emphatically.
"It was fun to watch," Utah coach Elaine Elliott said of the Lobos' win. "It was kind of like the perfect storm. It was beautiful for New Mexico and Florida was struggling. When the two converged, it was all about New Mexico. It was great for the league and great for them."
Utah center Jessica Perry said the players enjoyed watching the Lobos' romp.
"We were a little nervous because we didn't know how their fans would treat us since we have such a big rivalry, but they were really nice," Perry said. "They saw us cheering for New Mexico and were clapping for us when we left. It's good because if we all win, we make the Mountain West Conference look good."
The Mountain West Conference went a perfect 4-0 in the NCAA Tournament, with 11th-seed TCU beating sixth-seed Texas A&M 69-65 Sunday night. The Lady Frogs led by as many as 15. It's also interesting to note Baylor only beat the Aggies by one point March 9.
Senior guard Abbie Letz did not practice thanks to a sore back, but she will play Monday night against Baylor. Katie Montgomery's ankle is still sore, but she was cleared to practice and play. All other Lobos are relatively healthy, including redshirt Morgan Saso, who was suffering from strep throat last week.

BAYLOR
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said she hopes the Lobos don't duplicate their magical second half.
"I hope that they don't bring that kind of game," she said. "I was quite impressed last night. That game was won and lost early."

Mulkey-Robertson was asked whether loud New Mexico fans would be a factor Monday night. She said Baylor's got great fans who also travel well but tipped her hat to the New Mexico faithful.
"That might be greatest atmosphere for women's basketball," she said. "The noise level is unbelievable."
She also said New Mexico fans' knowledge of the game, knowing when to cheer and ride the refs to help their team.

UTAH
Utes freshman Morgan Warburton, who suffered a blow to the mouth that knocked out two teeth during Saturday's game, has been cleared to play Monday against Arizona State. The teeth are being held in place by wire and stitches. She will play with a protective mouthpiece. Elliott said it's the first hard hit Warburton has taken during her career, and she's pleased by how she responded.
Utah leads its series with the Sun Devils 5-3.

ARIZONA STATE
The Sun Devils said their run to the Sweet 16 last season helped ease pressure this year.
"There are no nerves really," sophomore guard Regan Paiseau said. "We are really excited to play Utah, we just need to execute."
Arizona State is hoping for an especially large hometown crowd, with the game slated to tip off around 7:30 p.m. The school's students will return from Spring Break Monday, which could help boost attendance.

Posted by ilimon at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've got another, more in-depth Web story on the Lobos' win over Florida the Tribune posted this afternoon.
I will update my blog in just a little bit with a roundup of notes from each team still standing in Tucson.
Abbie Letz will be limited to just shooting drills today because of a sore back. I asked her why she took a charge in the final minute of the game against Florida. She replied, "I thought she was gonna stop and I reallly wish she had."
She promised she will, however, play against Baylor.
Gary made an interesting comment on my blog last night or early this morning, arguing the New Mexico did not play its best first half of the season against Baylor.
I think it was, by far, the Lobos best effort. I know Minnesota was impressive, but this was against a Florida team that has beaten LSU in Gainesville and Tennessee on the road. The Gators have a more athletic and frenetic style of play and New Mexico completely shut it down.
It was the biggest road win ever for the program and first road win in the NCAA Tournament.
It was so emphatic, the win was the talk of all the other coaches and reporters today.
What do you think?
Was it the best half the Lobos played all season?
Was it the Lobos biggest win ever?
Gary, it'd be great if you could share why you don't think it wasn' t the Lobos' best half of the season.

Posted by ilimon at 05:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Lobos arrived in Tucson with something to prove.
They turned Mountain West Conference disappointment into NCAA Tournament elation.
Eleventh-seeded New Mexico pulled off its best win of the season, thrashing sixth-seeded Florida 83-59 in the McKale Center Saturday night.
It marked New Mexico's first NCAA Tournament win away from The Pit in program history.
"We were so disappointed with the way we ended the season," senior guard Abbie Letz said. "Everyone came out fired up and ready to show why were ranked in the Top 25 all year. We are a good team and we can play with the best in the country."
The Lobos more than played, they dominated.
New Mexico efficiently picked apart Florida's press, moving past the Gators' first wave of defense to find open looks on the perimeter and inside.
The Lobos played smothering defense, forcing the Gators to rush 3-point attempts from 25 feet.
"We knew we had to play strong defense, help each and close out on the ball no matter where they were at," senior guard Judy Vogt said. "I definitely think that's the best game we've played all year and it's definitely our biggest win since I've been here."
The Lobos jumped out to a quick 11-2 lead, weathered a Florida 8-0 run and never looked back. New Mexico led by 24 points at halftime and as many as 30 points twice during the second half.
The Lobos also won the battle on the boards, out-rebounding Florida 39 to 35.
Senior center Jana Francis led the Lobos with 25 points and five rebounds.
"That was the best game I've ever seen her play," New Mexico coach Don Flanagan said.
Francis said she didn't do anything special before the game to stir up such a dramatic performance.
"I think we were all just determined to show we are good enough to play with anyone," she said. "It did help that Katie (Montgomery) and the guards hit some shots from the outside early, which really opened things and made them play us one-on-one inside."
Montgomery finished with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists, while sophomore forward Dionne Marsh added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Letz led the team with eight rebounds and chipped in five points.
Forward Dalila Eshe led the Gators with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Danielle Santos added 15 points and six rebounds.
"We knew they were talented," senior Florida guard Sarah Lowe said. "We didn't come out with enough focus and composure that we needed to."
So can the Lobos do it again when they face Baylor, the defending national champions, Monday night?
"Definitely," Francis said with a grin. "Why not?"

Posted by ilimon at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

"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 | Comments (0)

Northern Arizona made a valiant effort and earned support from early arriving UNM fans but the Lumberjacks were overmatched by defending national champs Baylor.
The Lady Bears, who earned a 74-56 win, will now face the winner of the New Mexico-Florida game. The Lobos and Gators just took to the floor for warmups, with a large and vocal crowd of Lobo fans cheering on New Mexico.
Defending national player of the year Sophia Young led the Lady Bears with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
NAU used an array of double teams to cut into Baylor's lead that had swelled to 23 points, but the Lumberjacks only pulled within 12 before the Lady Bears slammed the door on them.
"You can't always expect a blowout," Baylor senior Chameka Scott said. "They're a good team and they came out and played hard."
Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said she was pleased to get all but two of her players into the game, adding they gained valuable minutes that will help them during the next game against either the Lobos or Gators.

Posted by ilimon at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lumberjacks have the privilege of playing in their home state, but they slammed into the Baylor meat grinder.
The third-seeded Lady Bears got off to a hot start on the road to defending their national title, earning a 43-22 halftime advantage over 14th-seeded Northern Arizona.
Defending national player of the year Sophia Young led Baylor with 16 points and four rebounds.
The McKale Center staff is scrambling to correct an interesting glitch. Someone accidentally used last year's Baylor roster for all game information. The error is giving the University of Arizona stat program fits and causing much consternation in the press room.
You don't need updated stats to recognize Baylor's balanced attack and ability to take lesser-known opponents seriously means the winner of the Lobos-Florida game will have their hands more than full.

Posted by ilimon at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The fourth-seeded Sun Devils easily dispatched Stephen F. Austin 80-61 in the McKale Center packed with Arizona State fans.
This sets up an interesting showdown between fifth-seed Utah and Arizona State Monday. The Utes weren't playing their best basketball Saturday but can give ASU a much better fight than Stephen F. Austin managed in the first-round game.
"They're a veteran team and they certainly won't let us go one-on-one in the low post like we got to do today," Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne said of the Utes.
The Sun Devils posts dominated Stephen F. Austin.
They were led by senior center Kristen Kovesdy with 22 points and 11 rebounds. She has long been Arizona State's top firepower and took over the title as the school's all-time leading scorer earlier this season when the Sun Devils beat the Lobos 73-61 in nearby Tempe. Fellow posts Kirsten Thompson added 12 points and Aubrey Johnson chipped in 10 points.
Stephen F. Austin never gave up and easily could have lost this game by 30 or 40. Forward LaToya Mills led the Lady Jacks with 24 points.
Arizona State controlled the tempo and outrebounded the Lady Jacks 52 to 26. The Sun Devils took their early exit from the Pacific-10 Tournament as inspiration for a strong start and dominant play against Stephen F. Austin.
Every Sun Devil available for the game and all but two saw double figure minutes.
"I think we did a really good job passing the ball around," Johnson said. "... We love sharing the rock."
During the Arizona State game, seventh-seeded BYU escaped with a 67-62 win over 10th-seeded Iowa in Denver.
New Mexico opponents are 4-1 and the Mountain West Conference is 2-0 in this year's NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma, Arizona State, Utah and BYU all collected early wins, while Minnesota fell to Washington.

Posted by ilimon at 03:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The only surprise in this game is Arizona State's crowd, which is larger and louder than it has been all season. The Sun Devils have averaged 2,137 fans at home games, but I think those numbers might include the band and team managers judging from the Lobos game in Well Fargo Arena earlier this season.
Fourth-seeded Arizona State is handling 13th-seeded Stephen F. Austin pretty easily, earning a 46-23 halftime lead.
Senior center Kristen Kovesdy is leading ASU with 12 points in 12 minutes, while reserves Kirsten Thompson and YoVanna Rosenthal added eight points apiece.
Stephen F. Austin's top scorer so far is forward LaToya Mills with eight points.

Posted by ilimon at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This may be convenient timing, but I've always thought Shona Thorburn was Utah's strongest competitor.
Kim Smith has disappeared against the Lobos and in some big games during her career, but you are guaranteed Thorburn will always show up.
Thorburn stepped up in a big way, helping the Utes overcome a 15-point deficit with 10 minutes remaining to earn a 76-71 win over Middle Tennessee.
The Blue Raiders looked like the better team for much of the game, but the Utes spread the floor and forced Middle Tennessee's weak post players to step up. When the Blue Raiders' posts needed help, Utah made them pay from the perimeter.
Thorburn finished with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Smith rallied late to add 13 points and 10 rebounds and center Jessica Perry carried the Utes early with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Junior Middle Tennessee guard Chrissy Givens turned in a dynamic performance, leading all scorers with 25 points and adding 11 assists. Guard Johnna Abmey scored 15 points while forwards Krystle Horton and Tia Stovall added 10 points apiece.
Utah coach Elaine Elliott took responsibility for Middle Tennessee's 10-0 run to end the first half and tie the game.
"I overcoached them instead of letting them spread the floor and let great players make plays," Elliott said.
Thorburn said the team was passive during the late first half and early second half rather than attacking the basket.
Smith said the Utes did not panic despite the the 15-point deficit with 10 minutes remaining. She said they drew on their 17-point comeback last season in the NCAA Tournament against Iowa State.
"It was kind of funny because we came together and said `We can do this,'" she said. "We've been here before."
Utes guard Morgan Warburtton took a hit to the mouth in the second half. Two of her teeth are jammed into her jaw. A dentist will attempt to put the teeth back, but it is unclear whether they will survive the blow. Trainers are hoping to fit her with a mouthpiece so that she can play Monday against the winner of the Stephen F. Austin-Arizona State game.

Posted by ilimon at 01:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While we enjoy the tour of restaurants on the road, including a visit to Chiptole without its biggest fan Jeff Carlton, we also do some work.
In today's paper, you'll see a feature on Lobos coach Don Flanagan, Richard Stevens' preview of the team's matchup against Florida and his column on ex-UNM men's coach Fran Fraschilla, who is handling color commentary for all the Tucson games. I thought Flanagan was pretty candid talking about his future with the Lobos, Richard covered the keys to the game for New Mexico against Florida and he got Fraschilla to talk about what he would have done to shape the Lobo men's program if he had not been run out of town.
We've also got a new podcast, during which Richard apologizes for teasing me and begs my mom for great El Paso Mexican food during her visit to Albuquerque next week for the women's regional. Yea, we also talk about what the Lobos need to do to beat Florida, but who wants to miss out on a rare Richard Stevens' apology?
Check back all day for updates from Tucson.

Posted by ilimon at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TUCSON -- It's looking a little bleak for the Mountain West Conference already.
Utah was supposed to have the best draw, but they're stuck in a dogfight.
The fifth-seeded Utes struggled early against 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee and entered the locker room with the score tied at 31.
Ute standout Kim Smith scored one point, while fellow star Shona Thorburn manged four points. They sputtered against Middle Tennessee's quicker and more athletic defense.
Utah was rescued by senior 6-3 center Jessica Perry, who capitalized on her height advantage and led the Utes with 13 points.
Middle Tennessee was led by guard Chrissy Givens, who scored 11. Most of the Blue Raiders points came off fast-break points. They grabbed five steals and forced eight Utah turnovers.
Check back for more following post-game interviews.

Posted by ilimon at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was a fun day getting the lay of the land in Tucson.
The atmosphere is much different than Knoxville last year, where Lady Vols fans support all women's basketball and packed open practices even though they are really just glorified shoot-arounds. The gyms were pretty empty as all six teams took to the floor.
Here are some of the day's highlights:

LOBOS
Senior guard Abbie Letz looked a little stiff but went through most shooting drills with the team. She said her back has improved, and I would be stunned if she didn't play Saturday night.
Freshman Rachel Majewski is pretty excited about being back in home state of Arizona on the University of Arizona campus less than two hours from her hometown. She expects lots of friends and relatives cheering for the Lobos at the game. She said UNM can count on a bigger pro-Majewski contingent Monday when her friends attending U of A return from Spring Break. Rachel said she played in the McKale Center a lot in high school and loves the arena. She said it has a nice floor without any dead spots and soft, shooter-friendly rims like The Pit.
Ex-UNM men's coach Fran Fraschilla played nice with the UNM contingent, sharing hugs with coaches and school administrators. Much to my dismay, he didn't throw anything at Trib columnist Richard Stevens. The UNM coaches were excited to see him because he always was kind to the women's program, and he has proven himself to be a very good color commentator.

FLORIDA
The Gators continued to shower praise on the Lobos, calling New Mexico just as tough as any SEC team they faced all year. They noted the Lobos managed to stay ranked in the Top 25 all season, while Florida slipped in and quickly tumbled out of the polls.
If only they got trapped Saturday. The entire Florida team and coach Carolyn Peck were trapped in an elevator for 40 minutes at the Hilton Thursday. Senior guard Sarah Lowe said the team didn't feel claustrophobic because it was a glass elevator. "Everybody was laughing at us," Lowe said. Peck added it was another good chance for her team to bond, although it was warm in the elevator.

BAYLOR
The Lady Bears calmly endured a barrage of questions about what it's like to be the defending national champs. To summarize lots and lots of answers, it's hard.

NORTHERN ARIZONA
NAU, Tucson's biggest underdogs taking on Baylor, took a page from Gene Hackman in the epic little guy story, Hoosiers. "I feel that basketball is basketball," freshman guard Sade Cunningham said. "I think if you play your best basketball, then the best team will win."

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
Stephen F. Austin, also pretty major underdogs facing Arizona State, got some inspiration from fellow Southland Conference member Northwestern State's upset of Iowa in the men's NCAA Tournament. "In the tournament, everyone is equal," senior guard Kirby Killingsworth said. "You throw out the numbers and go out and play."

ARIZONA STATE
Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne argues parity has arrived in women's college basketball. "There are 20 teams, in my opinion, that can win the NCAA Tournament," Thorne said.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Junior forward Krystke Horton gets her team's toughest draw, guarding Utah's prolific scorer Kim Smith. "With her being a four-time (MWC) most valuable player, she is a great player," Horton said. "I am going to have to play great defense."

UTAH
You probably were waiting for something juicy here, but coach Elaine Elliott and her Utes are a team of few words. Elliott said she is wary of being a five-seed and promises Utah won't overlook 12-seeded Middle Tennessee. "We're not any typical five-seed that comes from a big league and falls prey to being at a higher level," Elliott said. "We understand that everyone is a good team. We've been a five seed beforeand Middle Tennessee sis the best 12 seed I've ever seen."

We've got some really special stuff planned for Saturday's paper. I know I say that all the time, but I'm pretty proud of our Tucson coverage. Check it out before Saturday night's game.

Posted by ilimon at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm on the road again with Trib columnist Richard Stevens and photographer Steve St. John.
Me and Richard got a head start, hitting Tucson Thursday night so that we can catch all the team practices on Friday.
Every team has an open workout, a universal spectacle in the men's and women's tournament that pretty much are glorified shoot-arounds since coaches don't want to give away game plans.
It's a nice time to catch up with every team, so look for blog updates all day Friday.
The wild first day on the men's side filled with close games and upsets should be reassuring to the Lobo women's fans.
Florida my have the higher seed, but it's March and anything can happen.
We'll have lots of cool stuff in Friday's paper, continuing to advance the UNM women in the NCAA Tournament,
My favorite note of the day is that ex-UNM men's basketball coach Fran Fraschilla will be working as ESPN2's color commentator during the New Mexico women's game. I'm soooo glad I set up my DVR to record the game. I'll have separate commentary on how Fraschilla treats the Linz on the sidelines. You'll recall Richard Stevens and his mouthy alter ego gave Fraschilla plenty of grief during his dark final days leading the men's program.
Sounds like a fun showdown to me.

Posted by ilimon at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm tired and my notebook from Monday is pretty empty. We threw everything you could possibly want into today's Tribune. I advocate picking up the print edition because we've got some awesome boxes comparing both teams that don't translate for to the Web site very easily. You can call it our print edition bonus.
Here's a recap of what we had on women's basketball: both coaches' reactions about the Florida-New Mexico first-round matchup, the joys of playing in nearby Tucson and a glimpse of teams who will be hitting The Pit for the Albuquerque regional and a commitment from prep standout Christian Shelter.
I am sure Richard Stevens will ruffle a few feathers with his column today calling out the Lobos for never winning an NCAA Tournament game on the road. Read carefully and note his tone urges the women's basketball team to prove him wrong.
And in case you can't get enough women's basketball news, me and Richard Stevens offered our take on the Lobos' chances in the NCAA Tournament.
For those interested in Lobos athletics, I've also got a story on the new AD Paul Krebs. He might get along especially well with women's basketball coach Don Flanagan since they both hate to fly.
I'll have tons more coverage in Wednesday's Tribune, but for now enjoy our NCAA Tournament feast while I take a nap.

Posted by ilimon at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Lobos breathed a deep sigh of relief as the eight/nine seed matchup for the Albuquerque regional flashed before their eyes Monday night.
Disaster and a showdown with a No. 1 seed was averted.
Moments later, the New Mexico women's basketball team learned it is a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Lobos will face sixth-seeded Florida in Tucson Saturday night.
Earlier this season, the low seed could have been viewed as a snub. After falling in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament, the Lobos were OK with the seeding.
"We're just happy to be in," sophomore forward Dionne Marsh said. "We didn't get the worst seeding possible where we'd have to play a No. 1 team. Every team at this point is tough, so it's just great to have another game to play."
The Lobos faced Florida two years ago in the NCAA Tournament, falling 68-56 in The Pit. The Gators team was led by towering center Vanessa Hayden, who dominated the game.
If they beat Florida, they face the winner of the 13th-seeded Northern Arizona- third-seeded Baylor game. The Bears are the defending national champions, meaning it could be a tough road back to Albuquerque for Sweet 16 games in The Pit.
"Florida will be tough because they're an athletic team from a very good conference, but it's great to be in the tournament and know we are capable of competing against them," junior point guard Katie Montgomery said. "It's great to be playing so close to home in Tucson, where hopefully we can draw a lot of fans."

Check out Tuesday's Tribune for full tournament coverage and the Trib's Web site for audio clips of the Lobo women's basketball team talking about its first-round NCAA Tournament matchup.

Posted by ilimon at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Iliana Limon
Acting University of New Mexico president David Harris has nominated Paul Krebs to be the school's new athletics director.
The UNM Board of Regents pledged to support Harris' decision, meaning Krebs will take over as the school's 12th athletics director following an official vote during a regents meeting Monday.
Krebs, 49, has been at Bowling Green State University of the Mid-American Conference since March 5, 1999. He will take over for retiring New Mexico Athletics Director Rudy Davalos, who is slated to leave the school in August after 13 years leading Lobos athletics.
"In an exceptional field of applicants, Paul was the strongest candidate," Harris said in a statement released by the university Sunday afternoon. "We were especially impressed with the emphasis he places on academic performance and the overall integration of the student-athlete into campus life."
Krebs, who has 25 years experience in athletics administration, is best known for hiring Urban Meyer as head coach of the Bowling Green football program. Meyer went on to lead the Utah football team to an undefeated 2005 season and win in the Fiesta Bowl. Meyer is now the head football coach at BCS power Florida.
Krebs began his career working in the ticketing office at the University of Oklahoma in 1981. He went on to become the school's ticketing director before taking over the ticketing office at Ohio State University in 1985. Krebs worked through the ranks at Ohio State to become a senior associate athletics director.
During his interview at UNM, Krebs called a multi-million dollar fund-raising campaign at Ohio State funding expansion of the football stadium and construction of basketball arena and soccer complex his greatest accomplishment.
While at Bowling Green, he acquired a $3.5 million gift for the athletics department, the largest donation in school history.
During Krebs' tenure, the football program and women's basketball programs have enjoyed their most successful competitive stretches. The women's program, led by former Colorado State assistant coach Curt Miller, just won the Mid-American Conference tournament championship Saturday,
Krebs earned his bachelor's degree in business from Bowling Green in 1978 and a master's degree in athletics administration from Ohio State in 1981.
Krebs said he has no ties to New Mexico, but his wife, Marjori, has family in the Southwest. The couple have two children, a 16-year-old daughter, Taylor; and a 12-year-old son, Jacob.
He will be in Albuquerque Monday for a news conference introducing him as the new athletics director.

Posted by ilimon at 03:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So the Lobos didn't make it to the Mountain West Conference tournament title game, but BYU coach Jeff Judkins and Utah coach Elaine Elliott kept things interesting in Denver.
Utah ran away with an 84-60 win, with the Utes leading by as 27 points.
Julie Larsen led the Utes with 24 points, while tournament MVP Shona Thorburn added 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Kim Smith added 14 points.
Dani Kubik led the Cougars with 12 points, while Ambrosia Anderson scored 11.
The real fireworks began after the game.
Judkins was upset that Elliott kept her starters in the game late and accused her of running up the score.
The Mountain West Conference provided transcripts of the postgame interviews.
When asked about his heated postgame exchange with Elliott, Judkins made this statement:
"First thing I wanted to tell my team that I was proud of them, the way they handled themselves, and the way they didn't quit. And then I told them for the young kids to remember this, this will motivate you in summer basketball and lifting weights and working hard of what happened, and what you could have had. And then I told them, remember the classy way that we handled it and the unclassy way Utah handled it. They did it the whole year. I know Brosia made a quote in the paper which they made a big deal of saying they ran it up on people. When you're up 25 points, you pull your starters out with 1:54 in the game, it's a classy way. You don't need to rub it in. That's what I told Coach Elliott. Again I said, Congratulations, you played very well, but I don't know why you need to leave your starters in with a 1:54 in the game. I don't understand that. When you got somebody beat, you noticed I pulled mine out. That's not the classy way of doing it. I played for a classy coach. I coached with (former Utah men's basketball coach Rick) Majerus, who was classy that way. That's the way I coach. And she got all mad at that and said something about Brosia saying something in the paper and whatever."
Judkins was then asked when he would have pulled the starters since the Elliott pulled hers with about two minutes left in the game.
Judkins said: "I've watched them play the whole season. They're beating Colorado State by 35, and they're in until one minute left in the game. It's a combination of a lot of things. I probably shouldn't have lost my cool, but, you know, I have a right to get mad once in a while."
When asked about the postgame exchange, Elliott responded: "Apparently, he accused me of running up the score, in a championship game, Division I level, against the reigning regular season champions. You take that for what it's worth. I was just waiting for them to come back."
During his postgame, Judkins said he thinks the Mountain West will get at least three teams into the tournament -- Utah, BYU and the Lobos.
You can check my story in Saturday's Tribune for analyst Jerry Palm's take on the Lobos' NCAA Tournament fate.

Posted by ilimon at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've got a column today from Richard Stevens with a pretty optimistic view of the Lobos chances in the NCAA Tournament.
ESPN.com's Charlie Cream is backing up Stevens' take with his latest bracket projection posted this morning. He figures the Mountain West Conference will land five teams in the tournament.
Cream gives the post-UNLV loss Lobos a sixth seed in Tuscon, where they would face 11th-seeded Louisville in the opening round. The team would potentially face the winner of the Arizona State-Dartmouth matchup.
Although the Lobos fell at Arizona State in non-conference play, they didn't play their best game. This definitely would be one of the most favorable seedings, regions and matchups the Lobos could ask for following their early tournament exit.
I love underdogs this time of year, but New Mexico fans have to pull for the marquee teams. Upsets rattle the seedings and could knock the Lobos further down in the seedings and out of the western region. So take a deep breath and start cheering for Utah, BYU and other biggies like Oklahoma in other conference tournaments still under way.
You can also check out the podcast me and Stevens did last night dissecting the Lobos' loss and NCAA Tournament forecast.

Posted by ilimon at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think the Lobo women are in the NCAA Tournament.
The only question is how much did the loss to UNLV hurt New Mexico's seeding and first-round venue.
Rudy Davalos seems to like their chances of getting a good seed and staying out West. I'm not so sure, but I would put my money on Rudy's insider experience over my gut instinct.
We've got several stories in today's paper, which will be updated by noon, talking about what went wrong and where the Lobo women go from here.
For now, you can listen to another entertaining podcast me and Richard Stevens did following the game. Last time, people complained they could only hear Stevens. This time, I think we're both loud and clear.

Posted by ilimon at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DENVER, Colo. -- Sometimes, you have to be careful what you wish for.
No. 21 New Mexico wanted a rematch with UNLV to avenge a 65-63 loss at Las Vegas.
The Lady Rebels responded with a stunning 57-45 win over the Lobos, knocking New Mexico out in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament.
"I thought UNLV played an excellent game, exploited our weaknesses, put full-court pressure on us," New Mexico coach Don Flanagan said. "And I thought they kind of wore us down a little bit.
of it."
The loss ended New Mexico's three-year title reign. The last time the Lobos bowed out in the first round of the conference tournament was in March 2000 when they lost to UNLV.
Visit the Tribune's Web site for a complete game report later tonight.

Posted by ilimon at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNLV continued its hot shooting from field-goal range, hitting 52 percent during the first half to take a 30-23 halftime lead over New Mexico.
The Lady Rebels couldn't stop Lobo sophomore Dionne Marsh, who quickly scored 10 points. New Mexico stopped passing inside heavily and fell behind. The Lobos struggled from the outside, shooting 2-of-8 for 25 percent from 3-point range.
Senior Sherry McCracklin led the Lady Rebels with 11 points.
The intense full court pressure by both teams led to nine turnovers apiece.
The Lady Rebels out-rebounded the Lobos 16 to 11 and grabbed five offensive rebounds to the the Lobos' four.
The game was tied three times and the lead changed once, with the Lobos holding an early advantage behind Marsh's shooting. UNLV's seven-point lead is its largest of the game and came off a McCracklin layup with less than 10 seconds remaining in the first half.
Check back for a Web-exclusive story following the game.

Posted by ilimon at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Utah senior forward Kim Smith scored 29 points in 34 minutes to carry the Utes to a 67-47 win over Air Force in the opening round of the Mountain West Conference tournament.
The Utes face the winner of the New Mexico-UNLV game now under way at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Ellen Jaeschke led the Falcons with 20 points in 25 minutes.
The game featured three lead changes, but Smith and forward Jessica Perry, who scored 13 points, were too much inside for the young and undersized Air Force squad that does not include any seniors.
"I just love what's happened to Air Force basketball," Utah coach Elaine Elliott said. "...Their team is young, yet competing. The future's bright. Gone are the days when that's anybody's automatic win."
With their game about to tip off, the Lobos have drawn the largest crowd of the tournament. The east side of the Pepsi Center filled with New Mexico fans. Many of the supporters brought "Go Lobos" signs handed out at the final regular season home game Saturday.
Check back for more updates throughout the day.

Posted by ilimon at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

San Diego State's painful season has mercifully come to an end with a 69-58 loss to Colorado State in the eight-nine Mountain West Conference tournament play-in game Tuesday night.
The Aztecs ended the season 3-25 overall and 0-17 conference games.
The Rams improved to 10-19 overall and 3-14 in league play. They face regular season conference champion BYU Wednesday night.
Colorado State senior Vanessa Espinoza led all players with 23 points in 40 minutes, including five-for-five shooting from 3-point range. Rams Molly Nohr, Melissa Dennett and Marilyn Moulton scored in double figures and combined for 36 points.
The Rams shot a sizzling 71.4 percent from 3-point range.
San Diego State forward Michelle Strawberry scored 21 points in 39 minutes. Reserve Erin Jackson added 14 points in 29 minutes.

Posted by ilimon at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I survived the road trip to Denver with columnist Richard Stevens, men's hoops writer Jeff Carlton and photographer Steven St. John.
There was a lot of bad singing -- none by me -- and a little erratic driving -- also not by me -- but we made it.
Although we plan to have a lot of fun touring Denver restaurants, we're also going to deliver a bonanza of round-the-clock tournament coverage.
Along with our in-depth work for the print edition, we're posting Web-exclusive stories after games and updating our blogs with all the tidbits you could possibly want from the Pepsi Center. If you have any questions about the tournament or things you'd like to know more about, post your questions in the comments section of the blog.
We've also added an exciting new element to our coverage, with podcasts and audio clips. Look for recordings paired with our blogs and stories.
Our first podcast, which is pretty much just an audio file you can listen to from your computer or MP3 player, is online today.
We're pretty excited about our big dinner later tonight at the Italian restaurant Maggianos, which is crazy delicious.

Posted by ilimon at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Coaches are the only ones who cast votes, but here's how I would have picked the all conference team:

First team:
Ambrosia Anderson, BYU
Kim Smith, Utah
Shona Thorburn, Utah
Dionne Marsh, New Mexico
Hanna Zavecz, Wyoming

Second team:
Sherry McCracklin, UNLV
Katie Montgomery, New Mexico
Natasha Lacy, TCU
Dani Kubik, BYU
Mallery Gillespie, BYU

Third team:
Sheena Moore, UNLV
Adrianne Ross, TCU
Abbie Letz, New Mexico
Alecia Steele, Air Force
Jodi Bolerjack, Wyoming

Coach of the year: BYU's Jeff Judkins
Player of the Year: Ambrosia Anderson, BYU
Defensive player of the year: Hanna Zavecz, Wyoming
Newcomer of the year: Megan McGuffey, Wyoming

I really think Ambrosia Anderson was the most dominant player in the league this year. She carried BYU to a first place finish when the Cougars were the pre-season pick to finish sixth.

One interesting thing about how the coaches actually handed out this year's awards is someone did not vote for Kim Smith or Ambrosia Anderson as Player of the Year. Coaches aren't allowed to vote for their own players and, with nine coaches in the league, there was not supposed to be a tie. That means Kim Smith and Ambrosia Anderson got four votes apiece. If I had to guess, I'd bet BYU's Jeff Judkins voted for Dionne Marsh. We'll never know, of course, because the ballots are confidential.

Posted by ilimon at 06:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spring football is barely underway at most schools, but the Lombardi Award, which recognizes the best lineman in the country.
Senior-to-be offensive guard Robert Turner made the really early watch list for the award. Four other Mountain West Conference players also were on the list.
For more details, check out the full Lombardi Preliminary Watch List.

Posted by ilimon at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The plan was simple.
Don't let seniors Jana Francis, Abbie Letz and Judy Vogt leave The Pit with a loss.
No. 21 New Mexico (21-8, 11-5) channeled emotional Senior Day into a dominant 74-49 win over No. 18 BYU (23-4, 13-3) in The Pit Saturday afternooon.
"I never doubted we'd beat BYU," Lobos coach Don Flanagan said. "Our seniors just wouldn't allow it."
Neither would junior guard Julie Briody, who turned in arguably the best performance of her career with 16 points, a team-high eight rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes.
"One of my goals was to make sure they went out with a win, and I did everything I could to make it happen," Briody said.
With the win, New Mexico finished the tight Mountain West Conference race in third place. The Lobos will face sixth-seeded UNLV in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament in Denver. The game will be played at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Pepsi Center.
BYU clinched the regular season title Thursday and will play the winner of the San Diego State-Colorado State play-in game.
Utah finished second and earned the second seed with a 69-67 overtime win over Wyoming Saturday. The Utes will face seventh-seeded Air Force, who earned a 79-65 win over Colorado State Saturday.
TCU finished tied with New Mexico in third place with a 82-77 overtime win over UNLV Saturday. The Lady Frogs ended up with the fourth seed since they lost twice to the Cougars, but the Lobos earned a split. TCU will face Wyoming in the first round of the tournament.
If New Mexico beats UNLV, it will face the winner of the Utah-Air Force game in the second round, to be played at 11 a.m. Friday.
If BYU wins its game, the Cougars will face the winner of the TCU-Wyoming game at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
The two brackets collide in the championship game to be played Saturday at 4 p.m. All games will be broadcast on CSTV, except for the tape-delayed championship game set to air on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. Saturday.
New Mexico is riding a solid wave of momentum into the tournament, overcoming a 15-10 deficit against BYU Saturday with a barrage of torrid first-half scoring. The Lobos were a perfect seven-of-seven from 3-point range until the final minute of the first half and shackled BYU's high-powered offense.
Cougars senior and leading scorer Ambrosia Anderson managed three points before she went down with a knee injury 10 minutes into the game. She tried to return in the second half but was limping too much to be effective and only played two more minutes.
Sophomore forward Dionne Marsh, who is still recovering from an ankle injury, came off the bench for 17 points and four rebounds. Senior Vogt, Letz and Francis combined for 23 points.
Cougars center Dani Kubik was the only BYU player in double figures with 11 points.
Letz delighted Lobos fans with her farewell speech, promising New Mexico had a few games left to play in The Pit.
The only way the Lobos can return home is if they advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, with Albuquerque hosting a regional round of the tournament.
"If we play together and work hard like we did tonight, there's no question we can come back here," Letz said.

Posted by ilimon at 05:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Iliana Limon
A University of New Mexico football player was charged with five felony counts and jailed during the past week following an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, according to Metropolitan Court records.
Lobos safety Aleem Charles Harris, a 21-year-old from San Bernadino, Calif., was arrested by university police Friday and charged with four counts of aggravated battery with great bodily harm and kidnapping with great bodily harm. The incident took place Wednesday on the UNM campus, according to court records.
Harris posted 10 percent of a $50,000 bond and was released from the Metropolitan Detention Center Friday, court records state.
New Mexico football coach Rocky Long said Harris was suspended from the team indefinitely Thursday morning when Long learned of the altercation.
Campus police were called to Lovelace Hospital, where they interviewed Harris' ex-girlfriend Gladys Clear, who said Harris hit her. She suffered a fractured nose and two large bumps on her head, according to a Metro Court criminal complaint.
Clear told police she had been dating Harris for six months, but she ended the relationship two weeks ago. She told officers she heard Harris was engaged to someone else and received a text message to meet him at the Redondo Village student apartments on campus where Harris lives, the complaint states.
She said she wasn't worried about a physical confrontation because he had never hit her in the past, but she took a friend, Jennifer Shaw, with her to meet Harris. Clear said Harris began screaming at her, pushed her against a wall and hit her on the nose with the heel of his hand. She said dodged several of Harris' swings, but her head hit the wall three times and she heard a loud pop when Harris struck her nose, the complaint states.
Clear told police Harris screamed, "I've never hit a woman, but I'm about to ... you up," according to the complaint.
Shaw told Harris he would go to jail because of the fight, but she said he did not appear to care, the complaint states.
Clear said Harris' roommate and teammate Othellus Swift tried to break up the fight. When interviewed by police, Swift said he saw Harris' hand on Clear's throat pinning her against the wall. Swift said he also saw Clear hitting Harris but could not provide further details about any blows Clear may have landed on Harris, the complaint states.
Harris, who is 6-3 and 225 pounds, joined the football team during the 2005 season as a junior transfer from Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
He ranked second in the team in tackles with 67, grabbed two interceptions, broke up three passes, recovered one fumble and forced one fumble. Harris appeared in all 11 games, starting in seven. Harris played the roving safety position known as the Lobo position that was made famous by ex-Lobo and decorated NFL linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Posted by ilimon at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)