Arizona lost its second consecutive game at McKale Center after opening with six straight wins, this time losing to New Mexico, 72-69, on Sunday afternoon.
The Wildcats (6-2) scored seven points with under two minutes left and got the ball back down three with 3 seconds left.
Kamryn Kitchen inbounded the ball to Mieria Jurado, who tried to throw to Micky Perdue, who was inside the 3-point line. The ball was intercepted by Destinee Hooks as time expired.
“Probably should’ve called another time out there in hindsight,” head coach Becky Burke said. “We needed need three and they gave us two, but I think we panicked a little bit. Didn’t run it exactly how I would have liked.”
Noelani Cornfield led all players in scoring with 20 points on 50% shooting from the field and went 8-of-11 in from the free-throw line in the game played in front of 6,014 fans at McKale.
Cornfield was followed by Tanyuel Welch with 16 points also shooting 50% from the field and Daniah Trammell with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
“Honestly, I’ve just been patient. I’m not afraid of hard work or working hard in general,” Welch, a junior transfer from Memphis, said about her scoring performance. “The biggest thing for me is to just go out there and do everything as hard as I can and be what I need to be for my team.”
The Wildcats went into the game after its first loss on the season to Southern University on Wednesday night at McKale Center.
“It’s really encouraging to respond the way we did based on out last game,” Burke said. “I was encouraged by what I saw today. I think we took steps forward. I think we got better.”
Arizona started out slow going 8 of 21 in the first quarter, led by Nora Francois with six points.
While the Lobos (6-3) did not have a player get more than five points in the opening quarter, New Mexico finished with eight different scorers and went 11 of 18 from the field. They also outrebounded the Wildcats 15-7 and finished the quarter on top 26-19.
Arizona seemed to wake up a bit after, shooting better than 50 percent from the field in the second quarter and forcing the Lobos under 30 percent and a field goal drought that lasted more than three minutes.
The Wildcats finished the half by closing the gap to 42-39.
Arizona was able to take the lead early in the third quarter thanks to an and-one layup from Trammell, but the Lobos took it right back on a 6-0 run.
New Mexico would finish the quarter building their lead to 59-52.
Starting the fourth quarter, the stage was set — cue the Cardiac ‘Cats.
Arizona forced three turnovers and went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to three.
New Mexico answered with an 8-0 run before the Cornfield was able to hit a jumper to end the run. Cuttin
Cutting it to a three-point game in the waning seconds, the Wildcats’ last possession went awry with Jurado’s turnover.
“As positive as out locker room just was, we’re on a two-game losing streak right now,” Burke said. “We are practicing tomorrow like we are desperate, and if we practice any other way tomorrow then we just don’t understand what every game means to this team.”
Arizona will try to get on the right track next week on Wednesday at 11 a.m. against Eastern Kentucky at McKale Center. It is a game Arizona regularly plays so schoolchildren can attend.
New Mexico will look to build on this win against another Big 12 foe, Houston, on Saturday in Albuquerque.
Recommended for you
