New Mexico’s Chelsea Grear scored a game-high 26 points and every
Lobo who entered the game scored at least one point as UNM used a strong
second half to pull away from host Cal State Fullerton in an, 80-55, victory
over the Titans on Monday night at Titan Gym.
Cal State Fullerton falls to 1-1 overall while New Mexico improved to
1-1 overall on the season.
The Titans were led by senior forward Allyson Alhadeff, who tied a career
high with 12 points on the night to go with four rebounds and three assists.
Junior forward Nikki Lee added 11 points off the bench for the Titans.
Fullerton got on the board first with a pair of free throws by Alhadeff,
but that lead was quickly erased thanks to a 8-0 run by New Mexico. The
Lobos eventually led by as many as nine points early in the period before
the Titans stormed back with a 9-0 run of their own to tie the game at
13-13 with 11:45 remaining.
Cal State Fullerton regained the lead three minutes later on a basket
by senior Heather Hansen and pushed the lead to as many as eight points
with 3:24 remaining. The Lobos answered back with 12-4 run to tie the
game at 31-31 and took a lead into the lockerroom at the half when Tiffany
Scaglione hit a three-point basket in the waining seconds of the period.
Thanks to a 30-18 advantage on the boards and an offensive explosion by
senior Jordan Adams, New Mexico stormed out of the gates in the second
half, bouncing out to an eight-point advantage just two minutes into the
period. Adams, who had just two points in the first half, scored 11 of
her 13 after the break and added six rebounds and three blocked shots
in the half.
The Titans got no closer than two points at 51-49 on a basket by sophomore
Catherine Holman with 11:48 to play as New Mexico exploded for an 18-2
run over the next 5:55, extending the lead to an insurmountable 18 points.
The Lobos, who shot 27 percent from the floor at one point in the first
half, shot 42 percent from the field in the second half and just under
41 percent for the game. The Titans, who shot 42 percent from the floor
in the opening period, hit on just 31 percent of their shots in the second
half.
UNM held a 46-36 advantage on the boards and went to the free throw line
40 times in the game, compared to Cal State Fullerton’s 17 trips
to the stripe for the contest, including just four trips in the second
half.
The Titans return to action on Wednesday (Nov. 27) as they take on Big
12 Conference foe Kansas at 2 p.m. at Titan Gym before the Thanksgiving
holiday break.
