Records Fall Everywhere in 110-72 Romp Over SJSU
Box Score | 2018-19 Season Statistics
(2/27/2019) Women’s Basketball vs San Jose State ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Records fell all over the place as New Mexico rolled to its 22nd victory of the season with a 110-72 victory over San Jose State in front of 5,974 fans at Dreamstyle Arena. The Lobos were paced by a record setting night by sophomore Jaedyn De La Cerda, who scored 31 points off the bench.
UNM improved to 22-4 overall, and the 22 wins is tied for the ninth-most in school history, and UNM’s 47 wins in back-to-back seasons is three away from the record of 50, set when UNM went 26-7 in 1997-98 and then 24-9 in 1998-99.
On Wednesday, there was little doubt as to UNM getting its 22nd win, as the Lobos took the lead for good at the 5:57 mark on a Jaisa Nunn layup to make it 8-7. To that point, Nunn was unstoppable, as she had all four baskets for UNM. On the next possession, Nunn passed out of a double-team to De La Cerda for the first of her seven three-pointers.
She made two more to finish off the opening stanza, including one with the clock running out to give UNM a 21-12 lead at the break. From there the rout was on.
Nunn, who nearly had a double-double in the first quarter, got that out of the way before the five-minute mark of the second quarter, on the way to a 21-point, 14-rebound effort. Of those 21 points, she did it on a perfect 9-for-9 night from the field, tying the school record for the best perfect game from the field. Nunn hit the half at 14 points and 12 rebounds, and then played just seven minutes in the second half, most of that in the third quarter.
A between-the-leg pass by Robertson to Everett is sealed by a Nunn layup and the Lobos lead 50-33! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/MWyUFwqOTZ
— Lobo Women’s Basketball (@UNMLoboWBB) February 28, 2019
But the real story was De La Cerda, who was 12-for-19 from the field one game after going 5-for-11 against Utah State. That 17-for-30 over the last two games (11-for-21 from three) comes after going a combined 16-for-50 over her previous 12 games (12-for-35 from three), dating back to January 5.
She hit three threes in the first quarter, two more in the second quarter, and she was sitting right on her career-high of 21 points when the third quarter came to a close. She opened the fourth with her sixth three-pointer just 15 seconds in, and then hit a seventh at the 8:45 mark to give her 27 points. She came out after a fast-break layup to give her 29 points, but returned with 4:30 to go needing one more basket to break Jordan Adams’ record for most points in a game off the bench, with 30.
It took exactly 1:17 for her to get that basket, cutting through the lane to score and make it 106-67 with 3:13 to go. From there the only real drama was could the Lobos break the school record for points in a game, which was set last year at 107, but they passed that with ease as well. Quincy Noble’s and-one basket and free throw did the trick with 2:34 to go, and a final free throw from Erica Moore put the finishing touches on UNM’s offense.
De La Cerda isn’t done yet! 31 points on the night and the Lobos lead 106-67. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/5DX4IM3990
— Lobo Women’s Basketball (@UNMLoboWBB) February 28, 2019
That offense was brilliant, as UNM went 40-for-79 from the field and 12-for-33 from three-point range. Along with De La Cerda’s 31 and Nunn’s 21, Jayla Everett quietly had 16 points and Aisia Robertson had 14. Overall UNM got close to a school record for assists, dishing out 28 as nine different players had at least one.
The Lobos remained one game behind Boise State, which needed overtime to win on the road at Colorado State. The Lobos travel to Colorado State on Saturday for a 2 p.m. matchup with the Rams. That game will be available via the Lobos Radio Network flagshipped at 610 The Sports Animal, as well as on the Mountain West Network. UNM did move alone into second place as Fresno State clipped Wyoming 66-64.