Boise State, New Mexico go down to the wire in Mountain West women’s basketball action
The final minute of Boise State’s Mountain West home opener against New Mexico played out much the way the entire season has for the Broncos.
It’s a feeling that can be summed up in two words: if only.
Following a 72-68 loss to the Lobos on Friday afternoon at ExtraMile Arena, the Broncos fell to 0-5 in games decided by four points or fewer. Boise State is now 4-9 overall and 0-2 in league play.
“We’ve got to hone in on the little things — turnovers, rebounds, getting to our spots,” said Boise State redshirt senior Dominique Leonidas, a transfer from Brown. “The little things are what’s going to win us the game, and we’re right there, but we’ve gotta get it.”
Down 70-68 with 54.3 seconds left, the Broncos had the opportunity for the game-tying or go-ahead shot but couldn’t covert. Three-point specialist Anna Ostlie hesitated on an open look from deep and instead passed off to Leonidas, whose baseline jumper bounced off the front of the rim and was retrieved by New Mexico senior Jaedyn De La Cerda.
The Broncos then purposefully fouled after a New Mexico timeout to put the Lobos in the bonus. But the strategy didn’t pay off, as New Mexico senior LaTora Duff sank both free throws for a 72-68 lead. And the Broncos once again couldn’t come up with a basket on the other end.
“We’ve had six games go down to the last minute, and we’re 0-for-6,” Boise State coach Gordy Presnell said. “We talk about competitive greatness, which is a John Wooden term. Can you be good when you have to be good? And we haven’t been able to do that yet. Hopefully we can do that at some point.”
Boise State led 60-58 with 6:28 remaining in the fourth quarter after a pair of made free throws from freshman Trista Hull, the reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Week, who chipped in 10 rebounds, four points and four assists.
After trading baskets for a stretch of roughly 4 minutes, Leonidas tied the game at 68-all with a hook shot in the paint with 2:58 on the clock.
It was the last field goal the Broncos would make, allowing the Lobos to escape ExtraMile Arena with a victory despite going 4-for-8 from the line in the closing minutes.
Leonidas led four Broncos in double-digit scoring with 21 points to go with five assists and four rebounds. Sophomore point guard Mary Kay Naro contributed 12 points, six rebounds and four assists and would have had even more if her halfcourt shot at the end of the first half hadn’t been overturned after an official review.
Ostlie added 11 points, and senior Rachel Bowers notched her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Broncos outrebounded the Lobos 50-23, but allowed 25 New Mexico points off 21 turnovers and shot just 22.7% from 3-point range.
“What it’s gonna take is all of us, not just five — or even one person,” Bowers said. “We’re all gonna have to want it in the game, even on the bench. When you come in, we’re gonna have to know the plays, know the defense and we’re just gonna have to flat out hustle and want it. That’s all it’s really coming down to.”
The Broncos are back in action Monday in Laramie, Wyoming, where they face the Cowgirls in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Arena-Auditorium. Their road trip continues at Nevada on Thursday as the Broncos play five of their first seven Mountain West games on the road. Both games will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network, which is available online at broncosports.com/mwn, or listen on the radio on 1350 AM.
Notes: Freshman guard Mackenzie Naro, the younger sister of sophomore Mary Kay Naro, has been added to Boise State’s roster. Mackenzie had been the Broncos’ team manager. ... Junior guard Kaitlin Burgess, a transfer from the College of Southern Idaho, suffered a season-ending injury recently in practice.
NEW MEXICO 72, BOISE ST. 68
NEW MEXICO (10-4, 1-0 MW)
Shaiquel McGruder 9-13 1-4 19; LaTascya Duff 5-8 2-2 16; Jaedyn De La Cerda 5-12 1-2 13; Paula Reus 4-9 1-2 9; LaTora Duff 3-12 2-2 8; Antonia Anderson 3-7 1-2 7; Viane Cumber 0-1 0-0 0; Mackenzie Curtis 0-1 0-0 0; Aniyah Augmon 0-0 0-0 0; Kath van Bennekom 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-63 8-14 72.
BOISE ST. (4-9, 0-2 MW)
Dominique Leonidas 8-16 5-5 21; Mary Kay Naro 5-10 1-1 12; Rachel Bowers 5-8 0-0 11; Anna Ostlie 4-12 0-0 11; Elodie Lalotte 2-5 1-2 5; Abby Muse 1-3 2-4 4; Trista Hull 1-4 2-2 4; Jayda Clark 0-2 0-0 0; Sydney McQuietor 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-61 11-14 68.
New Mexico.................... 16 19 19 18 — 72
Boise St...................... 19 17 19 13 — 68
3-point goals — New Mexico 6-19 (LaTascya Duff 4-4; De La Cerda 2-5; LaTora Duff 0-5; Anderson 0-3; Cumber 0-1; Reus 0-1), Boise St. 5-22 (Ostlie 3-11; Bowers 1-1; Naro 1-4; Hull 0-1; Clark 0-2; Leonidas 0-3). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — New Mexico 23 (LaTora Duff 7), Boise St. 50 (Hull 10; Bowers 10). Assists — New Mexico 16 (LaTora Duff 7), Boise St. 17 (Leonidas 5). Total fouls — New Mexico 14, Boise St. 12. Technical fouls — None. A — 603.
This story was originally published December 31, 2021 at 7:25 PM.
