Photo by Craig FritzTribune

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Point guard Amy Beggin reacts to a foul called on the Lobos. New Mexico dropped its conference opener to Wyoming on Wednesday night at The Pit. "It's pretty tough to start off the conference 0-1 and lose at home," Beggin said.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

New Mexico's Brandi Kimble fights to keep the ball from a swarm of Wyoming defenders. Kimble had seven points Wednesday night, second on the team behind Dionne Marsh, who was unstoppable before the Cowgirls started double-teaming. Marsh scored 24 points, 16 in the first half.

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It was kind of like watching a sloth (UNM) vs. a tortoise (Wyoming). Other than the Lobos' Dionne Marsh, the teams looked like they were playing in slow motion. Marsh brought excitement and athleticism.

Unfortunately for the University of New Mexico, she was also the Lobos' only offense as UNM dropped a 58-52 decision to Wyoming Wednesday night in The Pit.

Unfortunately for UNM, the Cowgirls went from single coverage on Marsh to double coverage.

And when that shift in defense slowed down Marsh, the Lobos didn't come up with any other consistent offensive threats.

"I was really disappointed afterward and I told them so," said Lobos coach Don Flanagan, who saw his 8-6 Lobos lose their fourth game in five attempts.

"I have to get more help from the perimeter. We just couldn't find some offense and that was disappointing. The rest of the players have to step up.

"It can't just be Dionne all the time."

Marsh, UNM's talented 6-foot-1 senior, put the Lobos on her shoulders in the first half by scoring 16 points and leading UNM to a 26-20 halftime lead.

The burden was too much for Marsh to tote in the second half, when Wyoming began to double team her inside.

Marsh took 11 shots in the first half. She took seven shots in the second half and scored only eight points - still one more point than any other Lobo scored the whole game.

"When she gets on a roll, I don't care what you try to do to her, it's going to be difficult," said Wyoming coach Joe Legerski.

Legerski said his Cowgirls needed to break up Marsh's rhythm or "she was probably going to go for 50."

"We had to try to slow her down," he said. "We picked a couple of spots where we thought maybe we could force a turnover, get a touch on a deflection, and we were able to do that."

Marsh ended the game with 24 points. Senior Brandi Kimble kicked in seven points. UNM had only one 3-pointer, going 1-of-5 while Wyoming went 7-of-18 behind the line.

UNM had the ball with 30 seconds to play, trailing 54-52, but a turnover led to two Wyoming free throws with 21.6 seconds to go that gave the Cowgirls a 56-52 lead.

Lobo Amy Beggin then had a desperation 3-pointer blocked and Wyoming formed the 58-52 final with two more free throws with 12 ticks to play.

Coach Legerski said the road win for the No. 21-ranked Cowgirls gives them a quick leg-up on the rest of the Mountain West Conference.

"To get one at New Mexico, where they are unbelievable . . . This was a big one for us," he said.

The win was Wyoming's first in The Pit since 1995. The Cowgirls were the preseason pick to win the 2008 MWC title. UNM was picked to finish No. 4.

Said UNM's Beggin: "It's pretty tough to start off the conference 0-1 and lose at home."

It's probably too early to say this loss throws UNM into a deep MWC hole, but losing at home to the league's top team is not a good beginning or a good sign.

"We need to win at home," said Flanagan.

The Lobos next home game is Jan. 15 against TCU and Adrianne Ross from Hobbs. But first UNM has to win on the road. The Lobos are at San Diego State on Saturday.

A must win? Maybe. Because an 0-2 start in the MWC also would not be a good sign for these Lobos.