After beginning their quarterfinal game against UNLV on a 21-1 run, the New Mexico Lobos opened up today's semifinal match-up with Wyoming on a 17-5 run over the game's first nine minutes.
Wyoming responded with a 14-6 run of its own to cut the New Mexico lead to just four points, 23-19 at the 2:28 mark, and closed the half on a 7-2 run in which Megan McGuffey scored all seven points, to head into the locker room down just one point, 29-28.
New Mexico was able to regain control of the game with a 14-2 run that ended at the 13:03 mark with the Lobos holding a 45-34 advantage.
From the 13:58 mark to the 9:10 mark of the second half, Wyoming sophomore Megan McGuffey scored nine consecutive points for the Cowgirls.
McGuffey, who averaged just 6.5 points per contest in two regular-season games against New Mexico, scored 21 points. It marked the second game this season that McGuffey reached 20 points in scoring.
Wyoming's Hanna Zavecz registered her fifth consecutive 20-point game with 22 points.
New Mexico's Julie Briody led the Lobos with her seventh 20-point effort of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Lobos are 6-1 in those contests.
This marks just the second time in seven years that the No. 3 seed has defeated the No. 2 seed in the semifinal round. In 2002, No. 3 seed BYU defeated No. 2 seed New Mexico, 82-69, en route to the tournament championship. The No. 2 and No. 3 seed have met in every quarterfinal with the exception of the 2006 tournament when No. 3 seed New Mexico was upset by No. 6 seed UNLV in the quarterfinals.
No. 3 seed New Mexico will face the winner of the game between No. 1 seed BYU and No. 5 seed Utah in the championship game set for 1 p.m. PT Saturday.
