Sophomores Lead Lobos Past Aztecs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A 15-0 run in the first quarter provided the separation the Lobos needed as New Mexico defeated San Diego State 83-78 on Saturday afternoon.

Four Lobos finished in double figures with sophomores Aniyah Augmon and Paula Reus leading the way with 17 points apiece, with Reus also collecting a team-high seven rebounds and Augmon credited with two steals to tie for the team high. Fellow sophomore Viané Cumber went 4-6 from three-point range and 6-8 from the floor to finish with 16 points as the trio combined for 50 points on 18-24 shooting and combined for six three-pointers, shooting 6-9 from behind the arc. LaTora Duff nearly registered a double-double with 13 points and a team-high eight assists.

While unable to connect from three-point range, LaTascya Duff finished with seven points and two steals, and registered her 1000th-career point in her 78th game as a Lobo.

After SDSU scored the first four points of the contest, the Lobos got going with 15-straight points over a span of 2:53, starting with back-to-back three-pointers by Reus and Cumber to give UNM the lead change. UNM connected on five consecutive field goals during the run with Cumber accounting for two three-pointers, Reus scored five points with a three (and had two free throws) and layups by Brown and LaTora. The first quarter lead expanded to 12 on an Augmon fast-break layup off of a steal with the Lobos holding a 10-point advantage of 27-17 at the end of the first.

UNM shot 71.4% in the first quarter on 10-14 shooting with Cumber going 3-3, 2-2 from three for eight points, and was 4-6 from three-point range. On the day, UNM shot a season-best 56.9% from the floor and has shot over 50 percent in two of the last three games.

A 6-0 run in the second quarter stretched the Lobo lead to 16 at 38-22 with the Aztecs cutting it down to 12 before a Reus jumper and three-pointer provided the Lobos their largest lead of the game at 17 (45-28) with 1:32 remaining in the quarter. SDSU closed with a three-pointer as time expired to end the quarter with the Lobos taking a 45-31 lead into the break.

Augmon, Reus and Cumber were all in double figures at half with Cumber and Augmon at 11 points and Reus at 10, as Reus was a perfect 3-3 and Augmon a perfect 5-5 from the floor.

The Lobos cooled off slightly in the second quarter, shooting 61.5% from the floor, but shot 66.7% in the first and second quarters combined on 18-27 shooting.

SDSU opened with the first five points of the third quarter to get the margin back into single digits, however the Lobos answered right back with consecutive Shaiquel McGruder layups and an and-one opportunity to push the lead back to 14 less than 2:30 into the third. The Aztecs again closed to within nine, and like the first time, UNM responded with a 5-0 run on a LaTascya and-one and a McGruder layup. The Lobos got the lead up to 15 on two separate occasions late in the quarter before the frame came to a close with UNM leading 62-49.

The score tightened in the fourth quarter with SDSU getting to within seven, but each time the Lobos converted on the offensive end with a Cumber three-pointer, a Reus jumper and a Reus free throw. The Lobos put the game away at the free-throw line in the final minute with LaTascya and LaTora each knocking down a pair and Reus hit a pair with 28 seconds left to put the Lobos up 83-73. The Aztecs made a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining and a layup with five second left for the final points of the game.

The Lobos went 12-16 from the line in the fourth quarter, but went 8-10 in the final 1:05 with LaTascya 4-4, LaTora 2-2 and Reus 2-4.

With the win, the Lobos stand at 14-10 on the season, 6-5 in the Mountain West as they head out on the road for their next two to play Boise State and Nevada.