ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos return home to host Arizona State in their first Power 5 game of the season on Sunday at 2 p.m. in The Pit.
Tickets are still available for the game at golobos.com/tickets, with those in 8th grade and under free. For those unable to attend, the game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network with live stats and radio available.
UNM is 8-10 all-time against ASU, with the last meeting on Dec. 14, 2019 in Tempe (an 84-47 loss). However, the Lobos are 5-2 at home against the Sun Devils, with the last meeting in Albuquerque back on Dec. 18, 2004 (a 61-45 win). The Lobos have won the last two meetings at home with the other a 67-39 win on Dec. 10, 1997.
The Lobos have only played the Sun Devils once in head coach Mike Bradbury’s time at UNM.
Each team has three players scoring in double figures, with the Lobos led by LaTora Duff (13.3) and the Sun Devils led by Tyi Skinner (17.3). For UNM, LaTascya Duff is averaging 12.0 points per game and Shaiquel McGruder is averaging 11.7. Amaya Brown is close to being the fourth Lobo with 9.7 points per game, but does lead the Lobos with 7.3 rebounds per game.
Both teams have also been consistent with their starting lineup, starting the same five in each of their three games. For the Lobos, it has been LaTascya Duff, LaTora,Brown, McGruder and Paula Reus.
LaTora and McGruder have reached double digits in each of the games this season, with McGruder scoring 13, 11 and 11 and LaTora scoring 13, 14 and 13. Brown has scored double figures in the last two games and LaTascya in two of the three games. The Lobos had three players finish in double figures in the game against Houston and four players finish in double figures in the game at Southern Utah and New Mexico State. Against the Cougars, Brown led with 16 points, LaTora had 14 and McGruder had 11.
UNM enters the game 1-2, while Arizona State enters Sunday’s game 3-0 on the season with wins over Northern Arizona (69-68), Grambling (62-49) and Montana State (79-64) and are 1-0 on the road.
Three Sun Devils are averaging over 10 points per game, led by Tyi Skinner at 17.3 and followed by Jaddan Simmons (16.3) and Treasure Hunt (13.0). Skinner also leads the team in assists (10) and steals (nine), while Hunt is averaging a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game and Simmons leads with four blocks. ASU has started the same five in all three games in Skinner, Simmons, Hunt, Kayla Mokwuah and Sydney Erikstrup.
ASU is averging 70.0 points per game and holding opponents to 60.3 points, outscoring its opponents 210-181. The greatest margin is in the first quarter (28 points, 63-35), with ASU outscoring opponents in every quarter but the third quarter (46-39).
As a team, the Sun Devils are 38th in the NCAA in defensive field-goal percentage (32.7), 34th in free throws made per game (17.3) and 35th in free throw attempts per game (24.3). Simmons is 38th in free-throw percentage (94.7) and 26th in free throws (18).