Lobos take on SFA in Lobo Invitational title game
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| NEW MEXICO LOBOS 9-1 (0-0 MW) |
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN LADYJACKS 8-2 (0-0 Southland) |
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Thursday, December 20 | 7 p.m. |
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Tipping Off
The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team is set to play for the championship of the 2018 Lobo Invitational after a convincing 85-53 win over Sacramento State a night ago. In that game, the Lobos’ defense stole the headlines as they held the high-powered offense of the Hornets to 32.8 points below their season scoring average heading into the game. It was also the sixth time this season and fourth-straight that the Lobos have held an opponent in the 50s in scoring. Futhermore, it was the fourth time that they have done so while scoring at least 80 points on their end.
The Lobos’ opponent for the championship is Stephen F. Austin. The Ladyjacks played their way into the championship game by beating Hampton 70-68. The final score ended up being much closer than what thought it might be through the first half of play as SFA led Hampton 47-32 at the break. The Ladyjacks would score just 23 points total in the second half while Hampton out-scored SFA by 13 to bring the game to within a decision.
This will be just the second-ever meeting between the Lobos and the Ladyjacks with the first meeting coming back in 1981. SFA won that game 67-51
Rio Grande Rivalry Sweep
In their most-recent game, the Lobos pulled away late from in-state rival New Mexico State to earn the season sweep over the Aggies. Both wins were by 25 points each and the +50-point margin was the largest point spread in a season sweep for the Lobos over the Aggies since 2012 (+47). Additionally, the season sweep for UNM was the 22nd all-time against NMSU and the 16th since the 1998-99 season.
Lobo Flag Left Flying in Flagstaff
In their game at Northern Arizona (12/8), the Lobos used a second half scoring surge and lockdown defense to come away with an 84-55 victory. The Lobos led by seven at halftime, but quickly grew the lead out 18 points thanks to an 11-0 run to start the third quarter. UNM continued to build on that lead and led by as many as 30 late in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Lobos limited the Lumberjacks to just 15.6% shooting overall and 0.08% from three-point range in the second half as NAU made 5-of-32 field goals overall and 1-of-13 from long distance over the final two quarters.
Digging Out of a Hole Against the Miners
In the game against UTEP, the Lobos got off to a slow start offensively and found themselves trailing 15-2 with 4:29 left in the first quarter. The 13-point deficit was the largest faced by the Lobos to this point of the season. UNM rallied back, however, and went on to out-score the Miners 67-36 over the remainder of the game and secured a 69-51 win. It was the Lobos third game won by double digits this season.
Back-2-Back-2-Back MW PoW
For the second time in as many seasons, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team has had three-straight Mountain West Player of the Week honorees. Last season, the Lobos were the first to achieve such as feat since San Diego State did in 2008-09 as Cherise Beynon, Jaisa Nunn, and Tesha Buck claimed the first three weekly conference awards.
This year, Nunn started the run of MW Player of the Week honors as she had a monster double-double in UNM’s 72-65 win over Hartford. In that game, Nunn scored 32 points and hauled in 11 rebounds.
A week later, Aisia Robertson matched that double-double and even added to it by posting a triple-double in the Lobos’ 89-84 double OT win at Houston. In that game, Robertson scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
Most-recently, Ahlise Hurst garnered the award as she averaged 25.0 ppg and buried 12 three-pointers in UNM’s home wins against Oklahoma and New Mexico State. In the game against the Sooners, Hurst exploded for 39 points to set a new UNM and MW record for most points scored in a game by a freshman.
Hurst Sets Freshman Scoring Record
In just her fifth collegiate game and making her second start as a Lobo, true freshman Ahlise Hurst etched her name in the UNM and Mountain West women’s basketball record books against Oklahoma has she set a new freshman record for points in a game with 39. The previous record was 35 points by Yvonne McKinnon against Adams State in 1982.
Hurst, who had been averaging 5.8 ppg heading into the contest, heated up quickly as she surpassed her previous single-game high in scoring in just the first quarter as she had 12 points. For the game Hurst’s 39 points came on 14-of-24 shooting overall and 9-of-17 from three-point range.
Her nine three’s are the second-most makes from long distance in a game in school history.
Assists by Aisia
Through nine games, redshirt junior Aisia Robertson has been an assist machine. With 78 total assists currently, Robertson has not had fewer than four dimes in a game, and against Oklahoma, Robertson set a new single-game record with 16 assists. Her assists per game are currently second in NCAA DI while her total assists are ranked third.
Block Party Hosted By McClure
Length and athleticism were projected to be a newfound strength of the 2018-19 Lobos and thus far, senior transfer Nike McClure has exemplified that on the court and is blocking shots at a high clip. In the season-opener against Texas State, McClure blocked six shots on her own as the Lobos would end the night with a new school-record 16. Against Oklahoma, McClure swatted nine shot attempts by the Sooners to set a new single-game high for herself as a Lobo. McClure’s 25 total blocked shots is currently 11th in DI, while her 2.8 blocks per game is seventh in the country.
3-x-1
In UNM’s road game at Houston, redshirt junior point guard Aisia Robertson did something only three other Lobo women’s basketball players have done, and that’s post a triple-double in a game. It was the seventh overall in program history and the first in the career of Robertson. Former players Cherise Beynon (3 times), Carol Moreland (twice) and Jean Rostermundt account for the other six
instances.
Nunn’s Climb Up the All-Time Scoring List
Senior center Jaisa Nunn became the 22nd player in school history to score 1,000-career points at the end of her junior season. She ended that year 19th on the all-time scoring list. In her senior season, Nunn has the chance to climb the ranks even higher. She is currently 11th with 1,183 points.
Lobos Picked 5th in Preseason MW Poll
The Mountain West recently released its annual preseason predicted order of finish ahead of the 2018-19 women’s basketball season and UNM was picked fifth behind preseason favorite Boise State, UNLV, Fresno State and Wyoming. The Lobos were just eight points back of Wyoming as UNM garnered 150 points in the rankings.
Nunn Named Preseason All-MW
Senior center Jaisa Nunn continues to solicit a lot of preseason attention and deservedly so based off of her stellar junior season. The most-recent accolade to come Nunn’s way is inclusion on the 2018-19 Preseason All-Mountain West Team.
Nunn Like Her
Jaisa Nunn set herself apart from many of her counterparts last season as the rising senior was the lone player in the Mountain West to average a double (points/rebounds). In her junior campaign, Nunn was the team’s leading scorer and ranked second in the MW with 17.0 ppg while also topping the team and league in rebounds at 10.2 Already a 1,000-point career scorer, Nunn is within striking distance of becoming a 1,000-rebounder as well. The most rebounds in a career is 982 held by Carol Moreland. Nunn is already in the Top-10 all time at UNM, ranking 6th with 731.
Nunn Named to Lisa Leslie Watch List
Prior to the 2018-19 season tipoff, UNM senior Jaisa Nunn been named to the preseason watch list for the 2019 Lisa Leslie Award. Entering its second year and named after the three-time All-American and 1994 National Player of the Year, the Lisa Leslie Award recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball and is a part of the larger Naismith Starting 5, honoring the best players at each position. Nunn is among 20 to be on the initial watch list, and is one of two from the Mountain West
Young Talent Abound
Only one starter from the 2017-18 team returns this season for the Lobos, leaving a significant amount of playing time. While the Lobos do return seven letter-winners from last year, they also hauled in a highly-touted recruiting class that was ranked as high as No. 19 by ESPNW. Among that class, the Lobos inked four prospects that were rated at least 3-Star by ESPNW. The highest ranked among that incoming freshman class was Jayla Everett. The St. Louis native was ranked the No. 27 guard and 94th overall in the 2018 class.
Outside of Everett, the Lobos will benefit from the services of fellow incoming freshmen Quincy Noble, Bre’Asisajah Mathews, Ahlise Hurst and Shaiquel McGruder.
Impact Transfers
In looking to replace the starters from last year, the Lobos also turned to transfers and added three DI transfers over the summer. New to the program are Nike McClure (Washington State), Najala Howell (UTEP), and Bride Kennedy-Hopoate (Iowa State). That trio joins Kansas-transfer Aisia Robertson, who will be eligible to play this season after sitting out last season. Only McClure will eligible to play this season as a graduate transfer while Kennedy-Hopoate and Howell will sit this season as Robertson did last year.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit is nationally recognized as one of the top basketball venues for college basketball. Need proof?! How about Sports Illustrated ranking it as one of the Top-20 sporting venues, of any sport, in the world for the 20th century!
Yes, The Pit is truly a special place, and it has created an unparalleled environment for the New Mexico women’s basketball program over the years. The Lobos have led the Mountain West in attendance every year of the conference’s existence since the 1999-00 season. Additionally, during that same span, the program has ranked in the Top-20 nationally in attendance in each of those years.
Wanna talk records?! The UNM women’s basketball team is an impressive 405-205 at home all-time, a winning percentage of .664 heading into the 2018-19 season. This year, they are 6-1 at Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit.
Lobos From Near and Far
The Lobo women’s basketball roster has a mixture of athletes from near and far on its 2018-19 roster. The Lobos have players from eight different states and two by way of the international
route. The Lobos feature players from California, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas and Washington. Additionally, the Lobos have a pair of players from “Down Under” in Australia.