ThunderWolves put up a c-spot against Highlands

LAS VEGAS, N.M. - ThunderWolves' head women's basketball coach, Kip Drown, made a point to coach up his players for Saturday's game against New Mexico Highlands, a team that had only earned its first win of the season Thursday. He was scared that his team might sleepwalk against the 1-12 Cowgirls.

To put it lightly, that paranoia was unfounded.

The ThunderWolves only put together their most dominant win in the 30-year rivalry between the two schools, putting up a 110-59 win over the Cowgirls.

It was the first c-spot the Pack has put up since a 102-81 win, also against the Cowgirls, in 2005. The 110 points were the most the ThunderWolves had put up since they scored 110 since a 110-74 win over Western State in 1992.

The way the Pack arrived at the score was due to an absolutely dominant second half that saw the Cowgirls get quickly demoralized. The Pack held a pretty sizable lead at the half, 51-35, but went into full throttle mode in the second half.

Halfway through the second half, the Pack had extended their lead to 81-44. It just kept getting worse and worse from there, as the the ThunderWolves reserves closed the game with a 20-4 run to get over the century mark and then some.

"We've played well on this whole trip," Drown said, alluding to the Pack's victory Thursday over Western New Mexico, as well. "I'm impressed with how we prepared ourselves and took care of business."

As coaches tend to do, Drown said that he wasn't satisfied with some aspects of the Pack's game in the first half, allowing 35 points. In the second half, they ratcheted up the defense to allow only 24 points while scoring 59.

"In the first half, we were a little disappointed that we couldn't contain the dribble," Drown said. "But in the second half, we went to the zone more, and that helped us hold them to 24 points. We played 40 solid minutes, and there was never a span where we let up."

The win improves the Pack to 12-5, and a 6-3 mark in conference play.

Notes: The seven turnovers the Pack committed were the lowest number since they gave up seven in a 57-47 win over UC-Colorado Springs on Dec. 8, 2006.