Lobos Close Non-Conference Schedule with South Carolina State
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—The Lobos close out 2022 and the non-conference portion of their schedule against South Carolina State on Thursday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m., and will be the first meeting between the two teams.
Tickets are still available to purchase for Thursday’s game, but for those unable to attend, the game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network with a radio feed and live stats also available.
UNM enters the game at 7-5 and having won six of its last eight games, with the two losses coming against Power 5 opponents (then #13/14) Arizona and Mississippi State.
The Lobos are led in scoring by Shaiquel McGruder (14.0 ppg), with the forward also leading in blocks (33), steals (33) and rebounds (94, 7.8 per game), and is shooting a team-high 64.0 percent. McGruder is one of two Lobos averaging double figures, joined by LaTascya Duff at 12.9 points per game.
UNM has had six different leading scorers this season in LaTascya, Amaya Brown, LaTora Duff, Vianè Cumber, McGruder and Paula Reus. McGruder has led the Lobos in scoring in three of the last four games.
When it comes to South Carolina State, the Lady Bulldogs are led by Nicole Gwynn, who is averaging 9.6 points per game. Lovely Sonnier is averaging a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game and leads in blocks (nine) and steals (23).
THREE FALLING
UNM built an identity last season as a three-point shooting team, and this year’s team is trying to reclaim that identity.
The Lobos have finished with 10-plus three-pointers in four games this season with a season-high 12 against Mississippi State. UNM made 11 against Texas A&M-Commerce, and 10 against both Arizona State and Southern Utah.
UNM is averaging 8.2 made three-pointers per game with 42.9 percent of UNM’s shot attempts three-pointers. The Lobos are shooting 30.3% from three. LaTascya Duff leads the Lobos with 34 made three-pointers, and is making 3.1 per game and nine games of multiple three-pointers. Vianè Cumber is second with 20 made three-pointers, averaging 1.8 per game with six games with multiple three-pointers.
FINDING OTHER WAYS TO SCORE
While UNM has had four games with 10-plus three-pointers, the Lobos are actually 1-3 in those games. The Lobos are 4-0 when making exactly nine (Western New Mexico, Nicholls, New Mexico State and Old Dominion) and won against Houston when only making two three-pointers.
The Lobos are shooting 41.1 percent from the floor this season and 49.2 percent (211-429) when excluding three-point attempts. The Lobos are 5-2 when shooting .400 or better and have shot .400 or better in seven of the last nine games.
SOPHOMORES STEPPING UP
Vianè Cumber has stepped into a reliable three-point shooter and has finished with double figures in four games with a game with 22 points, 17 against Mississippi State and two games with 15. The Lobo sophomore is averaging 16.3 minutes per game and 7.5 points per game and has made multiple three-pointers in six games this season, including going 4-5 in the Dec. 11 game against New Mexico State and 6-8 against Western New Mexico. The New Mexico native has finished with four three-pointers in two of the last three games. She is shooting 46.8% overall and 40.8% from three-point range, second on the team in made three-pointers with 20.
Aniyah Augmon has stepped into a larger role this season as well, and has finished with three assists in three of the last five games with a career-high five assists against Old Dominion. She went 4-5 in the game against Arizona and added a steal, and in the last game against NMSU, hit three free throws in the fourth quarter in UNM’s 65-64 win.
Paula Reus has stepped into a starting role, starting all 12 games this season, and is averaging 8.0 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game and 1.0 steal per game in an average of 27.0 minutes per game. Reus has scored in double figures in five games this season, including four of the last five games, and recorded her first career double-double against NMSU with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
IN EXCLUSIVE COMPANY
Shaiquel McGruder currently has 1150 points and 716 rebounds, ranking her 14th all-time in points and 81 away from a tie for 12th. When it comes to rebounds, McGruder is 10th in program history and is 13 away from ninth and 16 from eighth. If McGruder matches her production from last season, the Lobo could climb into the top 10 in scoring.
McGruder also has 145 career blocks, fifth all-time and four from fourth. Her 189 career steals rank her sixth all-time and is two away from a tie for fourth all-time.
During her career, McGruder is shooting .607 from the floor and scored 73 points as a freshman, 215 points as a sophomore, 182 as a junior and 512 points last season. She’s scored 168 points this season and is shooting 64.0%.
Among MW players, McGruder is in the top 10 in scoring (fourth), rebounds (fourth) and steals (tied for second) and leads the conference in field-goal percentage and blocks (33, 2.8 per game). Nationally, she is 10th in field-goal percentage, sixth in blocks and eighth in blocks per game.
McGruder is the only MW player in the top 10 in points, rebounds, blocks and steals and as aforementioned also leads the conference in shooting percentage.
BALANCED ATTACK
UNM has had six different leading scorers this season in LaTascya Duff, Amaya Brown, LaTora Duff, Vianè Cumber, Shaiquel McGruder and Paula Reus.
The game at Nicholls was the first time that there was a repeat leading scorer, with LaTascya scoring a game-high 20 points at Southern Utah and at Nicholls. Reus led the team in scoring twice, with 18 at Texas A&M-Commerce and against Arizona. Cumber has led the team in scoring twice with 22 against Western New Mexico and 17 against Mississippi State.
McGruder led the Lobos in scoring four times, scoring 24 against Arizona State, 23 against Abilene Christian and 16 against NMSU and Old Dominion. She has led the Lobos in scoring in three of the last four games.
McGruder has reached double digits in 10 games this season and twice with 20 points, scoring 13, 11, 11, 24, 14, 10, 15, 23, 16 and 16 and LaTascya Duff has scored in double figures in eight games including five of the last six and twice reached 20 points (20, 10, 16, 20, 10, 19, 12, 14). LaTora has scored double figures in six games with 13, 14, 13, 13, 15.and 11 and Brown has reached double figures in six games (16, 11, 10, 15, 10, 13). Reus has scored in double figures in five games and in four of the last five games (18, 14, 11, 11, 11) and Cumber in four games (22, 15, 15, 17), twice in the last three games.
LOBOS GOING NATIONAL
The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team will have two Mountain West games broadcast nationally on FS1 or CBS Sports Network, as announced by the conference on Wednesday.
The Lobos’ home game against Air Force to open conference play has been moved from New Year’s Eve to New Year’s Day with a 2 p.m. MT tip time on CBS Sports Network, while their game at UNLV on Saturday, Jan. 14 was selected by FS1 for a 6 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. MT tip time.
In total, the Lobos will be featured in half of the Mountain West women’s basketball regular season games broadcasted nationally this season.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
South Carolina State enters Thursday’s game 1-12 on the season, winning against UNC Greensboro (64-53). As a team, the Lady Bulldogs are averaging 43.5 points per game and shooting 30.3 percent from the floor and 20.3 percent from behind the arc.
In the 13 games, Nicole Gwynn and Lovely Sonnier have started 12, with, Mekayla Lumpkin starting eight, Jayah Hicks six, Tiona Walls and Aija Smith five each and Gift Sampson four. Gwynn is the leading scorer at 9.6 points per game, and also leads in assists (22) and three-pointers (18), while Sonnier leads in rebounds per game (7.6), blocks (nine) and steals (23).
UP NEXT
Following Thursday’s game, the Lobos remain at home to host Air Force on New Year’s Day with a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network. Tip is set for 2 p.m. with tickets still available to purchase at golobos.com/tickets.