Open Announce

UNM to Face UNLV on FS1 Saturday

by Allison Weiss

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— For the second time this season, the Lobos will appear on national TV when they take on UNLV Saturday evening on FS1. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. MT.

UNM enters the game 10-7 on the season, 2-2 in the MW after coming off of a 30-point win over Nevada, while UNLV is 15-2 and 5-0 in the MW after beating San José State Wednesday night. UNM is 3-2 in the last five games against UNLV with four of the games played in Las Vegas. The two teams split the series last season with each team winning at home.

The Lobos have three players averaging double figures, led by Shaiquel McGruder at 14.9 ppg. LaTascya Duff averages 12.8 ppg and LaTora Duff averages 10.0 ppg. UNLV also has three players averaging double figures, led by Desi-Rae Young with 17.9 points per game, and Essence Booker is averaging 12.8 ppg.

In the MW, the Lobos have four players averaging double figures, with McGruder at 15.5 ppg, LaTascya at 11.8 ppg, Amaya Brown at 10.8 ppg and LaTora at 10.8 ppg. UNM is averaging 73.0 points per game and is shooting 46.7% from the floor and 35.3% from three with 9.0 made three-pointers per game.

SOPHOMORES STEPPING UP
Vianè Cumber has stepped into being a reliable three-point shooter and has finished with double figures in six games with a game with 22 points, 17 against Mississippi State, 16 against South Carolina State and three games with 15. The Lobo sophomore is averaging 15.3 minutes per game and 7.8 points per game, shooting 49.4% overall and 45.7% from three-point range. Cumber is second on the team in made three-pointers with 32 and in field-goal percentage (49.4%), and fourth in the MW in three-pointers per game (2.0). She leads the Lobos in three-point field-goal percentage at 45.7% (32-70), and is ranked 16th in the NCAA in three-point percentage.

Aniyah Augmon has stepped into a larger role this season as well, and has finished with three assists in three games with a career-high five assists against Old Dominion, which she matched at Wyoming. 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. She finished with a then-career-high nine points at Colorado State, which she surpassed in the next game against Nevada, scoring 11 on 4-5 shooting. The guard is averaging 18.0 minutes per game, 4.5 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game and 1.7 assists per game.

Paula Reus has stepped into a starting role this season, starting all 17 games this season, and is averaging 8.2 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game and 0.8 steals per game in an average of 27.3 minutes per game. Reus has scored in double figures in seven games this season and finished with double-digit rebounds in two games. Reus led the team in rebounds in five games, including two of the last three. She recorded her first career double-double against NMSU with 11 points and 10 rebounds (a career high) and matched her career high of 10 rebounds at Colorado State. Reus is third on the team in rebounds (87), assists (37) and three-point percentage (34.5%, 19-55), fourth in three-pointers (19) and fifth in points (140).

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 seven games this season with a season-high 18 against South Carolina State, while shooting a season-high 46.2%. The 18 tied for the third most in a game in program history, only behind 19 and 21 the Lobos made last season against Colorado State and Utah State, respectively.

UNM made 12 against Mississippi State, 11 against Texas A&M-Commerce and Nevada, and 10 against Arizona State, Southern Utah and Wyoming.

UNM is averaging 8.9 made three-pointers per game, ranked 11th in the NCAA, with 43.5 percent of UNM’s shot attempts three-pointers. The Lobos are shooting 32.8% from three with 152 makes. LaTascya Duff leads the Lobos with 50 made three-pointers, and is making 3.1 per game and 14 games of multiple three-pointers including the last 11 games. Vianè Cumber is second with 32 made three-pointers, averaging 2.0 per game with nine games with multiple three-pointers. Prior to the Wyoming game, in the previous five games, Cumber made four three-pointers in three of them, while going 2-2 in the one and 2-3 in the other. Cumber is shooting 45.7% from three and Duff 36.8% from three. Cumber is 16th in the NCAA in three-point percentage.

In MW games, the Lobos are making 9.0 three-pointers per game to lead the conference and shooting 35.3% from distance.

FINDING OTHER WAYS TO SCORE
While UNM has had seven games with 10-plus three-pointers, the Lobos are actually 3-4 in those games. The Lobos are 4-1 when making exactly nine (Western New Mexico, Nicholls, New Mexico State, Old Dominion and Colorado State) and won against Houston when only making two three-pointers.

The Lobos are shooting 43.3 percent from the floor this season and 51.4% (310-603) when excluding three-point attempts. The Lobos are 8-3 when shooting .400 or better and have shot .400 or better in 11 of the last 14 games, including a season-high 54.8% in the game against South Carolina State. UNM shot 54.5% in its last game against Nevada.

The Lobos have shot better than 50.0% in three of the last five games and in four games this season (also shot 52.3% against NMSU).

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
UNLV enters the game 15-2 on the season, 5-0 in the MW and has won its last six games.  UNLV has wins over Wyoming (73-67), Colorado State (91-88, OT), Fresno State (64-49), San Diego State (76-70) and San Jose State (84-58).

The Lady Rebels are led by Desi-Rae Young, who leads the team in points (17.9 per game), rebounds (10.4 per game), steals (31) and blocks (8).

In their 17 games, Young and Justice Ethridge are the only two who have started all 17, with Alyssa Durazo-Frescas starting in 16 of the 16 games she’s played in, Essence Booker starting in 13 of 17 and Kenadee Winfrey starting in six of 15 games.

The Lady Rebels are second in the MW in points per game (77.9), field-goal percentage (.448) and free-throw percentage (.773) and third in scoring margin (+12.4). UNLV leads the conference in rebounding margin (+8.6).

In MW games, UNLV is averaging 77.6 points per game and shooting 47.3%. The Lady Rebels are second in scoring offense, scoring margin (+11.2) and free-throw percentage (84.5%).