The Fresno State women’s basketball team was defeated by the New Mexico Lobos 80-54 at the Save Mart Center on Thursday, Dec. 29 in a game that saw the Lobos dominate from tipoff to the final seconds.

The Mountain West opener for the ’Dogs started with New Mexico getting off to a 10-3 lead. The Lobos’ fast-paced, physical style of play proved too much for the Bulldogs. The Lobos outscored the ’Dogs 46-22 in the paint and outrebounded Fresno State 49-29.

At the half, junior center Bego Faz Davalos was held to 3 points and the Bulldogs found themselves down 47-31.

“There is not much you can do but just play one possession at a time and get better,” Fresno State head coach Jaime White said. “You just have to try to crawl back one possession at a time. The thing is, you have to stop the other team. I didn’t feel that we were ready to go tonight.”

New Mexico’s Cherise Brown led the Lobos with 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Davalos failed to reach double figures scoring for the first time this season finishing the game with eight points.

Senior forward Emilie Volk scored a team-high 10 points for the Bulldogs and said there is much to learn despite the game not being the ideal way to start conference play.

“I know that coach will bring us back in and I trust that we will respond well,” Volk said. “It is a sour taste in our mouth, but we have to turn a new leaf.”

The Bulldogs (7-5, 1-0 Mountain West) will look to bounce back from Thursday evening’s performance as they travel to Nevada to take on the Wolfpack (6-6, 0-1 MW) on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.