UNM to Play Air Force in MW Quarterfinals
LAS VEGAS, Nev.– The last piece has been figured out. The Lobos knew the when and the where, but didn’t know who they would be facing in their first game at the Mountain West Tournament. UNM will face the Air Force Falcons in the quarterfinal of the 2021 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Basketball Championships on Monday at 1 p.m. MT/ 12 p.m. PT.
For the first time since 2004-05, The University of New Mexico Lobos enter the Mountain West Tournament as the No. 1 seed after sweeping Colorado State to win the regular season title. While UNM had previously won two MW regular season championships, it is the first time that the Lobos have won it outright as the 2003-04 and 2004-05 titles were split with Utah.
Junior Ahlise Hurst led the Lobos in the CSU series with 34 points, with a season-high 21 points in the final game, and nine made threes while shooting 56.3 percent from distance.
Shaiquel McGruder and Antonia Anderson each averaged over 10 points and 10 rebounds in the series with McGruder at 11.5 points per game and 12.0 rebounds per game and Anderson at 11.5 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game. In total, four Lobos averaged 10-plus points in the series with LaTora Duff averaging 10.5 ppg.
In the battle of the top two offenses in the MW, the Lobos led at the end of all but one quarter and held the Rams below their season average at 55 and 62 points.
The Lobos will face Air Force after the Falcons defeated San Diego State 56-48 in the first round on Sunday, closing the game on a 15-3 run in the final 3:50. Kaelin Immel led the Falcons with 17 points followed by Riley Snyder with 16 points, the only two Air Force players to score in double figures. The Falcons had three players with seven rebounds in Briana Autrey-Thompson, Emily Conroe and Snyder. Kassady Huffman led with a game-high four blocks and Conroe finished with a team-high three assists.
UNM holds a 44-4 advantage in the series with Air Force after splitting with the Falcons this season. However, junior Ahlise Hurst did not suit up for the two games for the Lobos.
UNM has played Air Force in the Mountain West Tournament twice historically, and is 2-0. The last time the two teams met in the tournament was in the first round on March 10, 2009, an 84-41 win for the Lobos in a 9-4 matchup (UNM was the 4 seed). The first time occurred in the first round as well, a 63-50 win for the Lobos in a 1-8 matchup in 2004. UNM was the 1-seed that year and went on to win the tournament.