Duffs and De La Cerda Leads Lobos to Win over Aggies

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Duff duo of LaTascya and LaTora Duff was nearly unstoppable on Friday night in the first meeting of the New Mexico Lobos and New Mexico State Aggies, with the seniors combining for 39 points in the 77-58 Lobo victory.

LaTascya led all scorers with 22 points and added six rebounds, two assists and a steal, while LaTora was an efficient 5-for-7 from three-point range and 8-for-17 on the evening for 17 points to go along with three assists and two offensive rebounds. In addition, it was LaTascya’s second 20-point game in the last three games.

LaTascya single-handedly outscored the Aggies in the first quarter, going 4-for-9 from the floor for nine points, as the Lobos pushed the pace to a 21-8 first quarter lead that included a 14-0 UNM scoring run that spanned 2:44.  During that stretch, LaTora accounted for two three-pointers and LaTascya one three-pointer.

UNM held three of NMSU’s five starters scoreless in the first quarter with two combining for four points and the other four points coming from the bench on 4-for-16 shooting.

The momentum continued into the second quarter with the Lobos opening up the quarter on a Shaiquel McGruder fast-break layup off of an Aniyah Augmon steal, followed by a LaTora three-pointer. A second three-pointer by number five extended the lead to 19 at 29-10 and two free-throws by Paula Reus pushed the lead past the 20-point mark at 21 with a little more than five minutes remaining in the quarter.

By the 3:18 mark of the second quarter, LaTora was outscoring New Mexico State 17-16 after her fifth three-pointer of the game and was 3-for-4 in the quarter from beyond the arc. Duff finished with 11 points in the frame.

Reus finished with the final seven Lobo points in the quarter with a three-pointer and two layups that included one as time expired, as the Lobos led 45-24 at the break.

LaTora had 17 points at the half with LaTascya at 11 points, while Reus went 3-for-4 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the line for nine points. While held scoreless, Jaedyn De La Cerda was responsible for six rebounds to lead the Lobos on the boards.

Defensively, the Lobos forced 11 NMSU turnovers in the first 20 minutes, turning the turnovers into 14 points and 17 points coming from fast-break opportunities compared to zero for the Aggies.

Also working in UNM’s favor was its three-point accuracy, going 8-for-14 from three, while NMSU went a cold 0-for-7. Entering the game, NMSU ranked 16th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal defense (21.3%), allowing 3.2 threes a game, and 34th in fewest turnovers.

New Mexico State made a run to start the third quarter, cutting the margin down to 13 points before De La Cerda began to assert her impact on the game with a layup, which led to a LaTascya three on the next Lobo possession off of a De La Cerda assist to build back some separation.

When the Aggies again tried to get back in the game, LaTascya answered with a layup and an and-one opportunity with the senior making the free-throw to push the gap to 17 at 55-38 with 2:57 to play in the third. A De La Cerda jumper and a LaTascya free throw got the Lobo lead back up to 20, with the Lobos taking a 59-40 lead into the fourth quarter.

LaTascya led with eight points in the quarter, but De La Cerda got going with six, as the pair accounted for all 14 of UNM’s points in the quarter to stabilize the Lobos.

After a De La Cerda three-pointer in the fourth quarter extended the lead to 66-46, the Aggies made a final push, getting as close to 14 three times in the quarter, but timely three-pointers – a LaTascya three, and two De La Cerda threes – each time provided the needed spark for the Lobos to keep control of the game.

Augmon added two free-throws with 32 seconds remaining for the final points of the game and a 19-point victory for the Lobos.

De La Cerda finished with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting in the game, 3-for-5 from three, for the third Lobo to reach double figures. The New Mexico native finished with a team-high eight rebounds and tied McGruder with four assists, with McGruder leading with a game-high two blocks.

UNM held the Aggies to 11.1 percent shooting from three-point range (1-for-9), while recording a season-best 13 three-pointers, shooting 66.7 percent in the fourth quarter alone (4-for-6) and shooting 54.2 overall from distance.

The two teams will meet again on Sunday, Dec. 5 in Las Cruces, with tip set for 2 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

• This was the 81st game all-time between New Mexico and New Mexico State.
  • The Lobos now lead the series 55-26.
  • The Lobos have now won the last seven meetings between the schools.
  • This was the first of two meetings between the schools this season, with the next in Las Cruces on Dec. 5th.
• Mike Bradbury records:
  • At UNM: 101-58 (6th season)
  • Career: 279-175 (15th season)
  • 8-1 against New Mexico State
• This is the Lobos’ third 6-0 home start to a season under Coach Bradbury.
• New Mexico took the lead with 6:32 to go in the first quarter and led through the rest of the game.
• The Duff twins scored 15 of the UNM’s first 20 points of the game.
  • The duo finished with more than half of the team’s points in the entire game (39 of 77).
• The Lobos held the Aggies to eight total points in the first quarter, the seventh time the Lobos have held an opponent to single digits in a quarter this season.
• New Mexico forced 11 first-half turnovers by New Mexico State and 19 in the game.
• LaTora Duff was the first Lobo to double-figure scoring with 8:05 to go in the first half.
• New Mexico had three players in double-figure scoring: LaTascya Duff (22 points), LaTora Duff (17 points), De La Cerda (15 points)
• LaTora Duff matched her career high in points scored in a game with 3:18 to go in the first half (17 points).
• Paula Reus surpassed her season high in points scored in a game as time expired in the second quarter (nine points).
• The Lobos made eight three-pointers (on 57.1% shooting) in the first half compared to the Aggies’ zero (0%).
  • In the game, the Lobos made a season-high 13 threes to the Aggies’ one.
• The Lobos shot 50% (17-34) from the field in the first half compared to the Aggies’ 31.3% (10-32).
  • And 49.1% (28-57) to 39.1% (25-64).
• Jaedyn De La Cerda scored 15 second-half points on 60% shooting (6-10).
  • De La Cerda had a season-high eight rebounds in the game.
• LaTascya Duff scored a season-high 22 points in the game.
• The Lobos out-assisted the Aggies 18-8 in the game.