Written by: Teddy Feinberg/Sun-News Sports Editor
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The New Mexico State women's basketball team will try to pick up its 18th win tonight, when they host the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters at 7 at the Pan American Center.
NMSU enters the contest at 17-6 overall, 7-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. Louisiana Tech comes in at 11-12, 5-5 in the WAC.
Roles have been slightly reversed from past years, as NMSU finds itself looking down at the Lady Techsters in the standings as opposed to the other way around. Louisiana Tech has traditionally been a national power, using the WAC as a personal punching bag on its way to the top of the standings.
The Aggies still have a great deal of respect for the Lady Techster program and hope to continue building on what has been, thus far, a productive season.
"I'm always fired up to go against Louisiana Tech," forward Sherell Neal said. "Besides UNM, they're probably my favorite school to play against.
"That's a legendary school. The talent is there, I don't know why they're slacking this year. But we know they'll be ready to play."
Head coach Darin Spence said that Louisiana Tech is similar to his team in approach and style. Louisiana Tech plays a hard man-to-man matchup defense and likes to work the ball down low on offense, where senior forward JoKeirra Sneed does most of her damage in the paint. Sneed leads La. Tech in both scoring and rebounding, coming into tonight's contest averaging 15.6 points and 10.2 boards per game.
"When you have such a storied program, anything that's not at 80 percent as far as win-loss differential could be considered a down year," Spence said of the Lady Techsters. "They come out on the floor with a good gameplan every night. They just line up and come after you and play hard basketball. They don't try to trick you."
The Aggies have gotten strong bench production of late. In the team's last outing, an 83-82 overtime loss to Boise State, forward Hannah Spanich entered in a reserve role and contributed with 19 points. The team also got high-energy performances from freshman guards Danisha Corbett and Brittany Palmer, who helped lead an NMSU rally that saw them battle back from a double-digit deficit to almost win the game.
"Coach Spence wants us to give the team a lift," Spanich said. "That's what I try to do, just do whatever is needed. Me and Mo (point guard Monique Bribiescas) are some of the main one's that come off the bench. Coach Spence expects us to come in and help out the team and that's what we try to do."
Spence said that having the luxury of a deep bench is nice, considering it is something the team has lacked in recent years.
"It's been nice to see," Spence said. "I've been here for four years without much of a bench. It gives us that added flexibility. We can bring people in, change the pace of the game and the identity of the team. We have more options."
NMSU comes into tonight's contest standing in fourth place in the WAC, two games behind first-place Fresno State. Spence said the goal at the beginning of the year was winning the WAC title. At the same time, he wants his group to pace itself for what will be a hard-fought WAC Tournament in Las Cruces. Spence said he believes the winner of the WAC Tourney, not the WAC regular season title, will most likely go on to postseason play.
"That would be great, wonderful," Neal said. "That's what we've been shooting for. That, on top of having the WAC here, homecourt advantage, that would just be great."
Notes: NMSU lost to Louisiana Tech 57-50 earlier this year on Jan. 19 in Ruston, La....Louisiana Tech leads the all-time series, going 7-1 against NMSU....Neal surpassed Ann McReynolds' school record for blocked shots in a career against Boise State. Neal recorded her 121st block against the Broncos to set the mark.
Teddy Feinberg can be reached at tfeinberg@lcsun-news.com
