Lobos Host Spartans Monday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The Lobo women’s basketball team returns to the court on Monday night to host the San José State at 5:30 p.m. Monday’s game will be the first of three games for the Lobos on the week, but the only game at home for UNM.

The Lobos enter Monday’s game having won their last eight games, and 11 of their last 12 games. New Mexico is the last undefeated team in conference play in the MW at 7-0 and is 10-0 at home after Saturday’s win against Fresno State.

New Mexico continues to lead the MW in scoring offense (80.9), three-pointers made per game (12.1), made three-pointers (85), three-point percentage (.397), assists (127), assists per game (18.1), assist/turnover ratio (1.8), blocked shots (34) and blocked shots per game (4.9). In just MW games, LaTascya Duff leads with a .571 shooting percentage from three. LaTascya and Jaedyn De La Cerda are 1-3 in made three-pointers per game in MW games at 3.4 (LaTascya) and 2.9 (De La Cerda) per game and De La Cerda is third in three-point field-goal percentage with .444. Shaiquel McGruder leads in blocks (14) and blocks per game (2.0). LaTora Duff is third in free-throw percentage at .905 (19-for-21) and McGruder (14/2.0) and Antonia Anderson (10/1.4) are 1-2, respectively, in the MW in blocks and blocks per game in conference games.

The Lobos have five players averaging double figures on the season, and six players in double digits in conference play. De La Cerda leads UNM with 15.7 points per game, McGruder at 14.7, Anderson at 14.4, LaTascya at 13.0 ppg, LaTora at 11.3 and Paula Reus at 10.0 through the seven MW games.

The Lobos are outscoring their MW opponents 566-515, with the largest point production in the fourth quarter (152) and largest point margin at 28 in the fourth.

San José State enters the game with two scorers in double figures in Cydni Lewis (11.6) and Ella Ogier (11.5), with Ogier averaging 12.5 ppg in conference play and Lewis at 10.5 ppg in conference play. Lewis leads with 7.8 rebounds per game in conference games and Ogier leads with nine steals and is tied for the team high with 14 assists. Lewis is SJSU’s leading scorer on the season with 197 points (11.6 per game), and Ogier is closely behind with 195 points (11.5 per game). Lewis also leads in rebounds (128, 7.5 per game) and blocks (22, 1.3 per game). Ogier leads in steals (33, 1.9 per game) as well as assists (41, 2.4 per game).

Lewis, Ogier and Meghan Oberg have started all 17 games this season for San José State, with Deja Ross starting 16 games. All four have started all six conference games for the Spartans, with A’Tyanna Gaulden starting four (including the last two) and Stephanie Torres starting two.

UNM is 12-4 all-time against SJSU, 5-1 at home.

PROMOTIONS
Monday’s game will be Family Night with those in eight grade and under getting in for free.

PIT POLICY
As a reminder, there will be a change in the entry requirements for all events in The Pit. Lobo fans will have three ways to come and enjoy Lobo Basketball in The Pit.  The simplest will be for patrons to provide proof of vaccination status. Proof of vaccination status means having two shots of Pfizer or Moderna, or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (or AstraZeneca for international fans), with the last shot received two weeks prior to the date of event entry. The second way to enjoy Lobo basketball at The Pit would be to provide proof of a negative COVID test. A PCR test must be within 72 hours and an antigen test must be within 24 hours of the event. Home COVID tests are not valid for this type of entry.  The third way to enjoy Lobo Basketball at The Pit is to be under 12 years old, as fans up through age 11 will be admitted without proof of vaccination.

Patrons to all events at The Pit must additionally adhere to all other state health regulations, which currently include wearing a mask in any indoor venue or setting.