Anderson Scores 30 Points, Lobos Make 19 Three-Pointers in Win at Colorado State
FORT COLLINS, Colo.— The threes were falling again on Saturday afternoon in Moby Arena as the Lobo women’s basketball team finished with 19 three-pointers in an 85-74 road victory at Colorado State.
Prior to UNM’s 21 three-pointers at Utah State on Jan. 6, the 19 on Saturday would have broken the school record. Going into the game, opponents had made just 5.7 three-pointers per game and were shooting 30.3 percent from three against the Rams, and the Rams had the best scoring defense in the conference at 58.1 points per game.
Antonia Anderson set career highs in points and three-pointers with a game-high 30 points on eight three-pointers. The Lobo forward went 11-for26 on the floor. Freshman Paula Reus made a season-high four three-pointers and finished with a season-high 17 points to go with a season-high nine rebounds. LaTora Duff and LaTascya Duff each made two three-pointers, extending LaTascya’s three-point streak to 21 games.
Shaiquel McGruder tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and a team-high 13 rebounds and Jaedyn De La Cerda was the fourth Lobo to finish in double figures with 10.
De La Cerda and LaTora Duff tied for the team high in assists with seven and McGruder recorded three blocks for the second-straight game, as well as the eighth time this season with multiple blocks and the fourth time this season with three blocks in a game.
After Colorado State went on a run to tie the game at 62 at the end of the third quarter, UNM outscored CSU 23-12 in the final quarter, finishing with seven three-pointers in the final quarter.
The Lobos scored the first five points of the game, with an Anderson layup and a LaTora three-pointer, with New Mexico getting out to a 10-6 early lead in the first four minutes. Colorado State answered with a run to tie the game at 10 before LaTascya hit a three-pointer to restore the lead for UNM. Colorado State took a 16-13 lead, but the Lobos closed the quarter with the final six points on jumpers by Reus and De La Cerda (two) for a 19-16 lead.
Held scoreless in the first 10 minutes, McGruder opened the second quarter with a jumper and Reus and De La Cerda extended the Lobo run with a free throw and jumper, respectively, for the 24-16 lead. The Rams ended the run with a three-pointer to cut the margin to five, but on the next three Lobo possessions New Mexico hit a three (Reus, McGruder and Reus) to push the Lobos in front 33-21. Colorado State went on a run of its own to close within four points at 35-31 with 2:03 remaining in the quarter, but a Reus jumper kept the margin from shrinking any further. When CSU again got within four at the 1:06 mark, an Anderson three-pointer and a LaTora three-pointer with four seconds remaining provided the Lobos an eight-point lead at the break, 43-35.
The Lobos made five three-pointers in the second quarter, shooting 45.5 percent from behind the arc and 47.4 percent from the floor, with Reus scoring nine points and McGruder seven in the frame.
Reus finished with 11 points in the first 20 minutes to lead the Lobos in scoring, while McGruder scored seven points with six rebounds.
New Mexico created further separation at the start of the third quarter, scoring the first eight points out of the break that included five from Anderson, two from McGruder on a second-chance opportunity and a De La Cerda free throw. Colorado State scored the next four points to end the run, but Anderson got the points back plus some on a three-pointer and a fast-break layup off of a De La Cerda steal for the 56-39 lead.
The Lobos led by 15 with four minutes remaining before Colorado State went on an 18-3 to tie the game at 62 to close the quarter. It was the first tie of the game since 10-all back in the first.
Anderson accounted for 16 of UNM’s 19 points in the third quarter with four three-pointers and two layups.
McGruder helped UNM retake the lead at the start of the fourth with a three-pointer, but CSU matched it on the other end. McGruder scored on the next possession to put UNM back in front and after a defensive stop, Reus made a transition three to create some cushion at 70-65. The Rams responded to get the game back within one, but Reus kept the Lobos in front with another three-pointer and LaTascya kept the momentum with the Lobos with a second-chance three-pointer off of a McGruder offensive rebound for the 76-69 lead. The run extended to 9-0 on an Anderson three-pointer and De La Cerda and Anderson hit two final three-pointers for the final Lobo points. CSU hit a final three-pointer to close the game, but the Lobos dribbled out the clock for the 85-74 victory.
The Lobos outrebounded CSU 48-44, had more second-chance points (13-8) and fast-break points (7-4), as well as more assists (23-17) and blocks (3-0). The Lobos also tied the season low for turnovers with six, that included a team turnover as the Lobos let the shot clock expire at the end of the game.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 15-4 on the season and 6-0 in the Mountain West.