| Broadcast Information | |
| WATCH: Arizona Live Stream |
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| RADIO: Lobo Radio Network | |
| (KNML 95.9/ 610 AM flagship in Albuquerque) | |
| Play-by-Play: | J.J. Buck |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– With two games remaining in the non-conference schedule, the Lobo women’s basketball team faces their toughest test to date in Tucson on Sunday in nationally-ranked No. 6 Arizona.
Game time is set for 1 p.m. MT and will be streamed on Arizona’s Pac-12 Network. Lobo fans can also find the game on the Lobo Radio Network and live stats will be available.
New Mexico is coming off a well-deserved and much-needed break after playing seven games in 13 days, wrapping up with a home-and-home weekend sweep of New Mexico State on Dec. 5. UNM has won its last three games and went 5-2 in the seven-game stretch.
Offensively, the Lobos are succeeding with balanced scoring as five Lobos are currently averaging 10-plus points per game in Shaiquel McGruder (14.0), LaTora Duff (13.1), Jaedyn De La Cerda (12.5), LaTascya Duff (10.9) and Antonia Anderson (10.2). De La Cerda and LaTora have reached double figures in eight games, McGruder has reached double figures in seven games, Anderson in six and LaTascya in five.
Much like last season, the three-pointers are falling for UNM, with the Lobos making 9.5 three-pointers per game and have reached double figures in five games and made nine in three games. UNM made a season-high 13 three-pointers and shot a season-best 54.2% from three against New Mexico State on Dec. 3.
Further, the Lobos are among the top teams in the NCAA in several statistical categories. UNM is second in three-point field goals made (104), fourth in assists (187) and three-point field-goals attempted (278), 15th in rebounds (424) and 18th in steals (108). In addition, the Lobos are 14th in three-point field goals per game (9.5), 24th in field-goal percentage (46.5), 26th in three-point field-goal percentage (37.4), 29th in blocked shots (45) and 32nd in assists per game (17.0). The Lobos are 52nd in scoring offense (75.8).
On an individual level, LaTora is third in the NCAA in assists (61) and 29th in assists per game (5.5); McGruder is fourth in field-goal percentage (64.2) and 16th in field-goals made (70) and Anderson is 26th in blocked shots (19). De La Cerda is 33rd in three-point field-goals attempted (64) and 46th in three-point field-goals made (23). LaTascya and LaTora are tied for 33rd in three-point field-goals made (24) with LaTora 40th in three-point field-goal percentage (44.4).
The Lobos face Arizona for the first time since 2012 and the first time in Tucson since 2011. In addition, Sunday’s game will be the first ranked opponent the Lobos have faced since West Virginia in 2019 and the highest-ranked opponent since No. 4 Texas in 2014. UNM is 4-4 in Tucson and has won two of the last three meetings in Tucson (76-63 on Dec.5, 2006 and 81-61 on Dec. 9, 2009).
Arizona enters the game 8-0 on the season and ranked No. 6 in the AP poll. Coming off of a NCAA Championship appearance, the Wildcats have wins over then-No. 6 Louisville (61-59 in overtime), Vanderbilt (48-46 in overtime), Rutgers (80-44), DePaul (75-68), Marist (78-36), Texas Southern (93-38) and CSUN (87-44). On Thursday, the Wildcats defeated North Dakota State 59-47.
The Wildcats are led in scoring by Cate Reese, who is averaging 13.6 points per game, shooting 46.0% from the floor and 77.4% from the free-throw line with a team-high 24 made free-throws on a team-high 31 attempts. Sam Thomas leads the Wildcats from behind the arc with 13 made three-pointers, taking a team-high 27 attempts.
As a team, U of A is shooting 36.2% from distance with 24.1% of its makes coming from three-point range, and 46.8% from the floor. Arizona makes 6.8 three-pointers per game, while allowing its opponents 3.5 three-pointers made per game (28-for-109). Opponents are getting to the free-throw line more often, with 126 attempts, an average of 15.8 attempts per game.
Defensively, the Wildcats are averaging 6.6 blocks per game and 12.8 steals per game, while outrebounding opponents by a +6.1 margin. Lauren Ware leads the team in blocks with 17 on the season, with Helena Pueyo leading in steals with 17. Bendu Yeaney is closely behind in steals with 16, Koi Love has 14 and Thomas has created 13 steals. Ariyah Copeland leads them on the boards with 46 total rebounds, an average of 5.8 per game, with Reese at 43 rebounds, an average of 5.4 per game.
Arizona holds the sixth-best field-goal percentage defense in the NCAA (31.4) and are fifth in scoring defense (47.8). In addition, the Wildcats have the ninth-best average of blocked shots per game, is eighth in scoring margin (24.9), 15th in steals per game, 22nd in field-goal percentage and 37th in three-point field-goal percentage.
Following Sunday’s game, the Lobos will have another week in between games, hosting UTEP on Sunday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the game can be purchased at golobos.com/tickets.