New Mexico Women's Basketball
University of New Mexico Athletics

Fans, coaches and players got what they wanted during Sunday's New Mexico vs. New Mexico State women's basketball rivalry game: normalcy. Three weeks after a deadly shooting involving an NMSU men's basketball player led to the cancelation of the men's Rio Grande rivalry series this season, the women's teams faced each other in Albuquerque.

When the incident first happened, the schools athletic departments were concerned about rivalry games in other sports, but ultimately decided that it had been an isolated incident and that the women's basketball teams could play safely. The Pit has had a clear bag policy for a while, but metal detectors started being used as of Dec. 6. That was new for The Pit, but other venues in Albuquerque already had metal detectors.

A few days before Sunday's game, UNM women's basketball head coach Mike Bradbury said he wanted to approach the in-state rivalry like any other game.

"I think people like that," Bradbury said on Friday when asked about rivalry feelings. "But it's just another game. We have to prepare, they have to prepare. Whoever plays better on Sunday wins. It doesn't matter what your emotion is."

There were 6,007 fans in attendance -- about 1,000 more than the average Lobo game this season -- but around the same size as the crowd that showed up a week earlier when the Lobos hosted a ranked Arizona team. A few Aggie fans wearing crimson shirts were sprinkled around the arena on Sunday, but there was no specific Aggie section and many were part of groups that also included Lobo fans.

The shooting investigation is far from over and there are still more questions than answers regarding that situation. However, Sunday's game showed how the relationship between the two fan bases hasn't been broken and that the intensity can stay on the court. 

Things felt "normal" during the rivalry game, but that doesn't mean boring. Arizona head coach Adia Barnes had been impressed with the fans the week before, but that atmosphere was relatively quiet compared to the sound levels on Sunday. There were 13 lead changes and the game almost went into overtime after the Aggies tied it 64-64 with 17.7 seconds remaining. 

The Lobos pulled off a 65-64 victory and improved 57-27 in the all-time series. However, the teams split the series in Jody Adams' first season as the Aggies head coach. It was business as usual, except maybe when the ball got stuck on the rim twice and UNM's Shaiquel McGruder did some impressive pull up moves in order to get them. It was a fun game to witness, although Bradbury said postgame he would prefer to win by 30 and avoid the nerves that come with a close result. 

Lobos guard -- and Albuquerque native -- Viane Cumber said there is always "a little more to it" when it comes to playing against NMSU. The team's first meeting this season happened on Nov. 15 in Las Cruces. The Aggies won that one 73-64 in overtime after the Lobos tried to overcome a 28-point deficit.

Cumber -- who contributed 15 points off the bench on Sunday -- was glad her team got a chance at redemption and that the Lobos got to host the Aggies in Albuquerque.

"They got us good down there so we couldn't wait until this game and have home court advantage," Cumber said. "We for sure wanted to win this game so we were focused and locked in."

Bradbury, who took over the program in 2016, said the rivalry-game crowd never disappoints and that both games against the Aggies this season have been tough. 

"Fans take it pretty seriously, and so do the players and coaches, but it's a very respectful rivalry," Bradbury said. "We both try to win and that's about it."