Texas Take Two for Lobos
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The Lobo women’s basketball team returns to Houston, Texas for the second week in-a-row, set to play three teams in three days at the Van Chancellor Classic. UNM will open the classic against Stephen F. Austin on Friday at 5:30 p.m. MT, before playing ULM on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MT and Texas Tech on Sunday at 3 p.m. MT.
There will not be any video streams available for the three games, but live stats will be available and a link will be provided once made available. Lobo fans can also listen on the radio at 610 AM/ 95.9 FM.
UNM enters the tournament after a start-to-finish win over Houston Baptist, scoring the first 16 points of the game with Houston Baptist held scoreless for almost the first eight minutes of the game, scoring its first basket at 2:01. It was the only basket of the quarter for the Huskies, with the Lobos leading 23-2 after the first 10 minutes.
Four Lobos again scored in double figures, led by Shaiquel McGruder’s 20 points, followed by Jaedyn De La Cerda with 17 and Antonia Anderson and LaTora Duff with 11 each. McGruder led on the boards with 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season, and registered two steals and two blocks against the Huskies. Anderson finished with a game-high four blocks and three steals and De La Cerda and Duff each had four assists to lead the Lobos.
Four Lobos are currently averaging 10-plus points per game in McGruder (15.4), Jaedyn De La Cerda (13.4), LaTora Duff (12.2), Anderson (11.8). McGruder, De La Cerda and LaTora Duff have reached double figures in four of the five games this season.
UNM has a history with all three opponents, going 1-1 all-time against SFA with the last meeting a 74-33 Lobo win in 2018, 1-0 against ULM, with a 64-50 win in 1998 and 4-15 against TTU, with the last meeting a 90-56 Lobo win in 2017. Only one of the meetings have ever been on a neutral court, a loss to the Red Raiders back in 1978.
Stephen F. Austin is 4-1 on the season, led by Stephanie Visscher’s 14.8 points per game and 15 steals. The Ladyjacks have three scorers averaging 10-plus ppg, while Aiyana Johnson leads on the boards with 5.8 rpg and eight blocks. Brianna Mitchell leads with 24 assists.
ULM is 2-3 on the season, with two averaging 10-plus points. Diamond Brooks and Kyren Whittington are averaging 14.0 points and 11.8 points, respectively. Kierra Crockett leads with 14 steals and Gracen Williams with 11 assists.
Texas Tech is 4-0 on the season with four averaging double figures in scoring. Rhyle McKinney leads with 16.3 ppg, followed by Vivian Gray 16.0 ppg, Lexy Hightower (10.8) and Taylah Thomas (10.3). Ella Tofaeono and Lana Wenger each have four blocks, with Bryn Gerlich leading in assists with 17. Tatum Veitenheimer leads with six steals.