Dec. 20, 2003

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Arizona held off a late New Mexico rally to edge the Lobo women's basketball team, 50-49, Saturday night at The Pit. The Wildcats improve to 8-2 for the season, while UNM falls to 6-4.

With the scored tied at 47, Aimee Grzyb nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to put Arizona up 50-47 with 1:15 remaining. The Lobos cut the lead to one as Lindsey Arndt hit a shot in the paint with 40 seconds left. After an Arizona turnover, UNM called a timeout with 8.2 seconds remaining in the game. UNM had its chance to win at the end as Lobo guard Fatima Maddox drove the ball down the length of the floor and dished the ball to Abbie Letz, but Letz missed a short jumper at the buzzer.

Senior Melissa Forest recorded a double-double for the Lobos with a team-high 12 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Katie Montgomery and junior Mandi Moore each poured in nine points.

Junior Danielle Adefeso led Arizona with a career-high 14 points.

New Mexico led for most of the first half, but Arizona rattled off an 11-2 run to open the second half to take a 33-29 lead. UNM went back ahead 37-35 on a Montgomery 3-pointer at the 12:20 mark. The Wildcats then took control, building a 45-39 lead with 7:40 remaining.

But then things got interesting. Preseason All-American Shawntinince Polk - who had 13 points in the game - picked up her fourth foul at the 7:50 point, and the Lobos took full advantage of her absence, going on an 8-2 run with her out of the game. Arndt capped the run with a jumper, giving the Lobos a 47-45 lead. Polk tied the game at 47 before fouling out with 1:50 left.

The Lobos dominated most of the first half, leading by as many as 14 points at one stretch, but only took a 27-20 lead into the locker room. UNM went on a 16-0 run from the 14:30 mark to 9:10 to take a 21- 7 advantage, fueled by four straight 3-pointer's. U of A then broke a six-minute scoring drought with a bucket at the 8:30 mark, and closed the gap to seven points with a 11-4 run to end the half. Forest led the Lobos with 10 points at the half.

The Wildcats dominated the post, outscoring UNM in the paint 42-18. The Lobos hit seven 3-pointer's in the game compared to Arizona's two - but only shot 20 percent (7-35) from beyond the arc. Arizona also used its speed, producing 10 fast break points to the Lobos' two.