Six Lobos Score in Double Figures as UNM Routs Golden Lions

PINE BLUFF, Ark.— For the second game in a row, The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team had six players score in double figures as the Lobos tallied their highest point total in a game in program history with a 120-66 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday.

The previous record was 110 points against San José State on Feb. 27, 2019 and Thursday was the 14th time the Lobos have scored 100 points or more in a game.

LaTascya Duff led the Lobos with 28 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the floor, going 4-of-5 from three-point range, and Jaedyn De La Cerda recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds (six offensive) and added a game-high six assists and three steals. Corina Carter finished with 18 points and five assists, Ahlise Hurst tallied 16 points and Antonia Anderson and LaTora Duff posted 13 points each.

Shaiquel McGruder was one point shy of joining the double-digit club but finished among the top of the team rebounders with seven rebounds.

Nine different Lobos scored in a contest that was never in question, including Nevaeh Parkinson scoring her first points as a Lobo on a three-pointer with 4:42 remaining in the game.

UNM would finish with a total of 17 three-pointers, second in program history in made three-point field goals and just one short of tying the record set in 2017 against Illinois, with seven Lobos making at least one.

The scoring started early for UNM, with the Lobos recording the first 17 points in the game. On the defensive end the Lobos were aggressive, forcing seven steals, and turned the 11 Arkansas-Pine Bluff turnovers into 20 points in the opening frame.

In the first quarter, UNM shot 54.5 percent, including 5-of-11 from three-point range, with Hurst outscoring the Golden Lions with 11 points.

Heading into the second quarter with a 32-8 lead, the Lobos continued to push the pace with the first seven points of the quarter. UAPB got the lead down to as low as 26 points at 42-16, but an Anderson three and two Hurst free throws pushed the margin to 31 points. The Golden Lions scored with 2:16 remaining in the quarter to make it 53-25, the closest the contest would be for the rest of the afternoon.

At the break, UNM led by 36 points (63-27) after a made De La Cerda three as time expired, part of a 10-2 run to close the quarter.

In the first two quarters, the Lobos made nine three-pointers and had three players in double figures with Hurst leading with 13 points, Carter with 11 and Anderson with 10. Nine of Carter’s points came in the second quarter after going 3-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-4 from three-point range.

The third quarter was much of the same as the Lobos stretched the lead to 39 on a LaTora three, and the margin would not hit below 35 points in the quarter as the Lobos scored at will. A 12-3 run created the largest lead of the game to that point at 44 (82-38) with 3:34 on the clock and the Lobo lead would continue to build to 49 points on a De La Cerda free throw that made it 91-42 with 49 seconds remaining in the quarter.

LaTora and Carter took over the third quarter with eight and seven points, respectively. LaTora went 3-of-4 from the floor, 2-of-3 from behind the arc, and LaTascya and Carter each made a three.

UNM entered the fourth quarter with 91 points already on the board at 91-46, marking the third game this season that the Lobos have tallied 90 points in a game.

It didn’t take long for the Lobos to reach the century mark, reaching it on a LaTascya three, the second of three-straight triples by the junior guard. LaTasyca had 12 straight Lobo points in a span of almost four minutes to start the fourth, ultimately finishing with a total of 17 points in the quarter. The junior was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor, 3-of-3 from three and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line in the final frame.

A final LaTascya layup and Parkinson layup finished the scoring for the Lobos as UNM claimed the 54-point win.

POSTGAME NOTES

• UNM scored 31 points from Arkansas-Pine Bluff turnovers, compared to just nine points for UAPB from UNM turnovers.
• The Lobos had a season-low 10 turnovers.
• The Lobo bench outscored UAPB’s bench by a margin of 56-16.
• In each of the first three games, UNM has been led in scoring by a different player. Against Midwestern State, it was Ahlise Hurst (18). At Sam Houston State, it was Jaedyn De La Cerda (24) and at Arkansas-Pine Bluff it was LaTascya Duff (28).
• Corina Carter’s 18 points were a career high for the sophomore guard.
• Nevaeh Parkinson scored her first points as a Lobo against the Golden Lions, finishing a perfect 2-of-2 from the floor, including one three.
• Thursday’s game was the third time that the Lobos have scored 90-plus points this season.
• The Lobos are now averaging 12.7 made threes per game, with 13 against Midwestern State, eight against Sam Houston State and 17 on Thursday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
• LaTascya Duff, LaTora Duff, Antonia Anderson and Jaedyn De La Cerda have scored in double figures in all three games, and Corina Carter has registered double digits in both games she played in this season.
• Eight different Lobos recorded an assist, finishing with a season-high 27 assists.
• UNM totaled a season-high 53 rebounds, outrebounding UAPB 53-37.
• The Lobos held the Golden Lions to a season low in points (66), field goal percentage (.323), three-point field goal percentage (.150) and made three-pointers (three).