UNM women’s basketball team advances

It will be nice to inform their supporters that the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team is rolling along despite the coronavirus pandemic that limits practices, a make-up of players from different parts of the globe, and with a team-wise balanced lineup.

Under head coach Mike Bradbury, these Lobos are 7-1 overall after last night’s 82-80 win over Fresno State. They are on top the Mountain West Conference at 3-1, with the lone loss coming against conference foe UNLV, and which they avenged the next night. They have routed opponents in five of these victories.

They hail from the Netherlands, Victoria, Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Ohio, and Texas, with the lone player from the Land of Enchantment, five-foot-6 senior Jredyn de la Cerda of Roswell. The tallest is 6-4 freshman Celine Dupont of the Netherlands. They currently have five players hooping in double figures.

The two games against Utah State were postponed due to virus issues. They have little practice time because of the virus restrictions, but hats off to Bradbury and his staff for filling in all the right parts.

In the triumph over Fresno State (8-6), whom they play again Saturday morning, 6-2 senior Antonia Anderson of Cibolo, Tex., led the way with 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Four others also scored in double figures (15-14-14-13), with 5-9 junior Ahise Hurst of Victoria adding 14 points, 10 boards, five assists, and making good on 3-of-10 3s.

And the 5-7 junior twins from Samson, Ala., Latascya and Latora Duff, combined for 13 rebounds. In the win over Nevada (Las Vegas), the Duffs tossed in 14 points each, and Latora handed out seven assists. In the rematch against UNLV, Dupont scrubbed the boards for seven rebounds and had a pair of shot blocks.

The remaining schedule has UNM with two make-up games to be reschedule against Wyoming, two against San Diego State, two against Colorado State, two against Air Force, and two against San Jose State, and two against Boise State. In the MWC standings, Colorado State is 6-2 (10-2 overall).

The Roster:

(32) Antonia Anderson, 6-2 senior forward, Cibolo, Texas

(0)  Andriana Avent, 5-10 sophomore guard/forward, Sacramento, California

(1)  Corina Carter, 5-6 sophomore guard, San Antonio, Texas

(23) Jaedyn de la Cerda, 5-6 senior guard, Roswell, New Mexico

(4)   Latascya Duff, 5-7 junior guard, Samson, Alabama

(5)   Latora Duff, 5-7 junior guard, Samson, Alabama

(10) Celine Dupont, 6-4 freshman post, Almedlo, Netherlands

(3)   Ahise Hurst, 5-9 junior guard, Benigo, Victoria

(13) Shaiqdel McGurder, 6-0 junior forward, Tretwood, Ohio

(34) Navaeh Parkinson, 6-3 freshman post, Dallas, Texas

(12) Chastie Seiden-Horn, 5-9 freshman guard, Eagle River, Arkansas

(24) Autumn Watts, 6-1 sophomore forward, Centennial, Colorado

(25) Azaria Robinson, 6-2 sophomore forward, Anchorage, Alaska

(15) Kath van Bennekon, 5-9 freshman guard, Dordrecht, Netherlands

This has nothing to do with the two postponements against Utah State, but last night Utah State and UNLV went at it on the court with a bench-clearing brawl that had eight players ejected, leaving UNLV with only six players, and winning in overtime.