ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— For the second time this season, University of New Mexico’s LaTascya Duff has been named the Mountain West Player of the Week, as announced by the conference on Tuesday.
Duff scored 20-plus points in each of the four games including a season-high 31 points, averaging 26.0 points per game, shooting 61.8 percent from three-point range and 55.7 percent from the floor. Duff made 21 threes between the four games, including three games of making six three-pointers.
Throughout the four games, Duff had an all-around solid performance, leading the Lobos in scoring with 104 points and in steals (nine) and was tied for second in rebounds (16) and third in assists (12). Duff averaged 2.3 steals per game, 4.0 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists per game.
Duff’s 104 points fell just short of the school record for most points in four consecutive games (106 achieved by Abby Garchek in 1997) and was just shy of the most points in three consecutive games with 79 points (record is 83 points by Cherise Beynon in 2018).
Making her first start of the season, Duff scored 31 points in game one against Air Force, going 11-for-20 in the game and 6-for-12 from three with five steals.
The Alabama native scored 10 points in the third quarter, making three of four three-point attempts as the Lobos outscored Air Force 28-13 to turn a halftime deficit into a lead. In the fourth quarter, Duff again went 3-for-4 from three-point range and finished the quarter with 11 points to match Air Force’s total team point production in the quarter.
In the second game against the Falcons, Duff scored 20 points with three three-pointers and added seven rebounds.
Against Utah State, Duff went 6-for-9 on Sunday and 6-for-7 on Monday from behind the arc and was 9-for-12 from the floor on Sunday and 8-for-13 on Monday. In both games, the junior guard also was credited with four assists and a steal.
Duff scored most of her points in the second quarter of Sunday’s game, making four three-pointers on five attempts and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line for 18 of her 28 points. The Lobo outscored Utah State’s total team production 18-12.
After the Lobos trailed Utah State 21-17 through the first quarter in Monday’s game, Duff led the Lobo comeback in the second quarter with 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the floor, including three three-pointers, and a made free throw on her only attempt.
Duff continued her efficiency from behind the arc in the third quarter with two more made threes on two attempts and made both attempts at the free throw line.
Duff previously won MW Player of the Week on Dec. 21 after scoring 28 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.