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Three-ball keys 80-64 road win at UNLV

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – For the first time since 2011 the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team went into the Cox Pavilion and came away with a win as the Lobos shot past UNLV by a score of 80-64 on Saturday afternoon.
 
A major key to the Lobos (14-13, 5-9 MW) picking up their second-straight road win was success beyond the arc. In the game against the Rebels (12-13, 8-6 MW), the Lobos made 12 three-pointers and shot them at a 52% clip as they attempted 23. Coming into the game, the Rebels had the 2nd-best three-point defense in the NCAA allowing their opponents to make just 23.3%.
 
The Lobos success from three-point range started early as they hit 3-of-5 in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Lobos were one better from deep as they made 4-of-5. Three of those second quarter triples were knocked down by Jaedyn De La Cerda. The junior would go on to continue her recent scoring barrage for the Lobos and finished with a team-high 23 points.
 
The first three of those second quarter trifectas came in succession as the Lobos ripped off a 9-2 scoring run to turn a two-point lead into a seven-point advantage with 7:40 left in the first half. The Rebels responded, however, with a 7-0 run over the next 1:20 of the game and knotted the game at 25-all. With the score tied at 31-all at 4:01 mark, De La Cerda knocked down a three-pointer to give the Lobos the lead once more, 34-31.
 
That lead got as large as five points with just over three and a half minutes left, but the Rebels closed out the period on a 6-0 run to take a one-point lead into the break.
 
Out of the locker room, the Lobos stayed consistent offensively and turned up the heat on defense as they forced the Rebels to shoot just 25% (3-of-12) from the field and turned them over six times. Over half of the Rebels 13 points in the quarter came at the charity stripe as they were 7-of-8 from the line.
 
Entering the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead, the Lobos withstood an early Rebel attack that brought the score as close as five points, 60-55, with 8:15 left on the clock. The Lobos responded with a 5-0 run that was started on a three-pointer by Ahlise Hurst at the 7:21 mark and concluded at the line by Corina Carter at the 5:54 mark.
 
Neither team scored over the next two minutes of the game.
 
With 3:28 remaining, the Rebels pulled the score back to single digits on a three-pointer by Bailey Thomas, but her triple was answered right back on the ensuing possession by Hurst. The Lobos then remained out in front by double-digits the rest of the way out, eventually coming away with a 16-point win, 80-64.
 
Statistically, the Lobos enjoyed one of their best all-around offensive games as they shot over 50% overall from the floor (28-of-58), over 50% from three-point range (12-of-23) and dished out 19 assists in the game.
 
Four Lobos scored in double figures and were led by De La Cerda’s aforementioned 23-point effort. In addition to her 23 points, De La Cerda stuffed the stat sheet with five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Behind De La Cerda in scoring was Jordan Hosey as she ended with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting overall. One point back of Hosey was Hurst with 13 points. Antonia Anderson rounded out double figure scoring with 11 points.
 
The Lobos will now prepare for another trip to the state of Nevada as they will take on the University of Nevada on Wednesday, February 19. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. (MT).