Lobos Sweep SDSU Behind Strong Second-Half Effort
SAN DIEGO, Calif.— Different day, same scenario, same result.
The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team picked up its second win over San Diego State on Friday afternoon after limiting the Aztecs to 48 points for the second time in the series.
Much like the first game, the Lobos trailed in the first and second quarter, but outscored the Aztecs 22-9 in the third quarter and 20-12 in the fourth quarter to win 65-48.
UNM had four scorers reach double figures led by Ahlise Hurst’s 13, while Antonia Anderson finished with 12, Shaiquel McGruder with 11 and Jaedyn De La Cerda with 10. Hurst added a career-high six assists, two rebounds and a block and Anderson also had eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
While four of the five starters stepped up with the points, it was the contributions from the bench that made the biggest difference in getting the win. Autumn Watts finished with a team-high nine rebounds, tying her season and career high, while scoring six points and Kath van Bennekom brought down a season-high seven rebounds.
The Lobos started off the game with two threes by Hurst and De La Cerda before SDSU answered with an 11-0 run to pull ahead. An offensive rebound and putback by Watts put an end to the run but the Lobos trailed 16-10 through the first quarter.
UNM fell behind 20-10 and again by 10 at 25-15, to which the Lobos chipped into the lead to bring the game to within four at the break, 27-23.
Hurst had six points through the first two quarters to lead the Lobos as UNM shot just 23.5 percent from the floor and 21.1 percent from three-point range.
Much like Wednesday’s game, UNM came out of the break and took control, going on a 6-2 run to tie the game at 29 behind a layup from De La Cerda, a McGruder three and a free throw from Anderson.
A McGruder layup gave UNM its first lead since it was 6-0 and the Lobos continued to expand on the lead with two free throws by LaTascya Duff that made it 36-31. SDSU tied the game at 36, however, the Lobos scored the next nine points with a Watts layup, two free throws by Anderson and Hurst, a Duff three and an Anderson layup to close the quarter ahead 45-36.
UNM outscored SDSU 22-9 in the third, making 7-of-11 shots (63.6 percent) and went 3-for-7 from three, while holding SDSU to four baskets on 14 attempts. Duff, De La Cerda and McGruder each scored five points to pace the Lobos with Anderson adding four.
The fourth quarter followed much of the same, as after the Aztecs opened the quarter with a basket, the Lobos went on a 5-0 run for the 50-38 advantage. A McGruder layup off of an assist by Corina Carter pushed the lead to 16 at 58-42 with five minutes remaining and the Aztecs would get as close as 13 (58-45) before the Lobos closed scoring seven of the next 10 points in the game for the 17-point win.
New Mexico closed shooting 63.6 percent again in the fourth quarter and making both its three-point attempts. In the final two quarters, the Lobos doubled up on the Aztecs, outscoring SDSU 42-21.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 9-2 overall, 6-2 in conference play. Up next for UNM is a two-game series at Colorado State scheduled for Feb. 12 and Feb. 13.