RENO, Nev.—The Lobos close out the week on the road at Nevada on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT/ 2 p.m. MT with both teams coming off of a loss.
Since UNM and Nevada met back on Jan. 11, the Lobos have gone 4-4 while the Wolf Pack have gone 4-5. In the first meeting, UNM had five players finish in double figures led by 15 from Vianè Cumber and LaTascya Duff, with Cumber going 5-7 from three-point range. UNM went on a 19-5 run in the first quarter for the 24-9 end of first quarter score in the eventual 88-58 victory. The Lobos held the Wolf Pack below 20 points in three quarters, allowing nine points in the first quarter, 13 in the second and 16 in the third. UNM also shot 54.5% from the floor and 40.7% from three, making 11 three-pointers, with six players making at least one from behind the arc.
Each team has three players averaging double figures in conference play with the Lobos led by Shaiquel McGruder at 12.3 ppg and followed by LaTascya Duff (12.2 ppg) and LaTora Duff (10.6 ppg).
THREE FALLING
UNM is averaging 8.6 made three-pointers per game, ranked 14th in the NCAA, with 42.5% of UNM’s shot attempts three-pointers. The Lobos are shooting 33.0% from three with 216 makes. LaTascya Duff leads the Lobos with 68 made three-pointers, and is making 2.8 per game with 16 games of multiple three-pointers. Vianè Cumber is second with 52 made three-pointers, averaging 2.2 per game with 16 games with multiple three-pointers. Cumber is shooting 41.6% from three and Duff 38.2% from three. The duo are 1-2 in the MW in three-pointers per game, both on the season and in MW games.
In MW games, the Lobos are making 8.3 three-pointers per game to lead the conference, and shooting 34.1% from distance. Duff is shooting 42.6% from three with 29 makes and Cumber is shooting 41.8% with 28 made three-pointers.
FINDING OTHER WAYS TO SCORE
While UNM has had nine games with 10-plus three-pointers, the Lobos are actually 4-5 in those games. The Lobos are 4-2 when making exactly nine and won against Houston when only making two three-pointers, and against Boise State and Colorado State when making only four.
The Lobos are shooting 43.1% from the floor this season and 50.6% (449-887) when excluding three-point attempts. The Lobos are 10-5 when shooting .400 or better, and had a season-high 56.9% in the last game against San Diego State. UNM shot 54.5% in its game against Nevada and 52.2% in the last game at Utah State. UNM has shot .400 or better in three of the last four games, and over .500 in two of the last four.
The Lobos have shot better than 50.0% in six games this season.
SOPHOMORES STEPPING UP
Vianè Cumber has stepped into being a reliable three-point shooter and has finished with double figures in nine games, including four of the last five games. In the win against the Rams, Cumber went a career-best 4-4 at the free-throw line including two clutch free throws to make it 63-59 with 15 seconds remaining and played a career-high 37 minutes. She made five three-pointers in the game at Utah State to finish with 17 points, getting the start in both games. The Lobo sophomore is averaging 19.8 minutes per game and 8.8 points per game, shooting 44.2% overall and 41.6% from three-point range. In conference games, she’s averaging 9.3 points per game, 23.0 minutes per game and is shooting 41.8% from the floor and 41.8% from three-point range. She has also started the last five games for the Lobos and has finished in double figures in four of the five games. Cumber is second on the team in made three-pointers with 52 and has had 16 games with multiple three-pointers. The New Mexico native is second in the MW in three-pointers per game (2.1) on the season with the second-most three-pointers (only trailing LaTascya Duff). She is also second in the MW in conference games with 2.3 three-pointers per game, and has made 28. Nationally, she is 24th in the NCAA in three-point percentage.
Aniyah Augmon has stepped into a larger role this season as well, and in the game against CSU, Augmon made the go-ahead basket with 30 seconds remaining and tallied a team-high 10 rebounds in the 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. She tallied a new career high at UNLV with 18 points and tied her career high in rebounds with a then-season-high 10 for her first career double-double. The guard is averaging 20.5 minutes per game, 6.8 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game and 1.9 assists per game. She is shooting 47.8% from the floor and 33.3% from three-point range. In MW games, she is averaging 9.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 2.3 apg while shooting 48.8% and 36.8% from three-point range. Augmon has led the Lobos in rebounds in three of the last five games and finished with a career-high 13 rebounds at Utah State. She had her second double-double of the season against the Aggies with 12 points. The Lobo guard has scored in double figures in three of the last four games.
Paula Reus has stepped into a starting role this season, starting in 20 games this season, and is averaging 8.7 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game and 0.7 steals per game in an average of 26.2 minutes per game. In conference games, she’s averaging 9.1 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game and shooting 48.1%. Reus has scored in double figures in 12 games this season, including three of the last four and six of the last eight she’s played in (she missed the CSU game) and has finished with double-digit rebounds in two games. Reus led the team in rebounds in five games. 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.
ON RECORD WATCH
Following her eight three-pointers in the game at Utah State, LaTascya Duff is officially on record watch for the program’s career three-point record. Duff sits with 217, one behind Amy Beggin for second and four behind Katie Montgomery’s 221.
Duff achieved one milestone already, getting her 1,000th-career point at UNM against San Diego State.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Since the Lobos last played the Wolf Pack, Nevada went 4-5 with wins over Utah State (78-58 and 68-63)), Fresno State (75-69) and San Jose State (74-67) and lost to Wyoming (57-53), Colorado State (84-67), UNLV (80-57), Boise State (62-58) and San Diego State (67-51). The Wolf Pack are 6-6 in conference and are 4-2 at home.
The Wolf Pack have three players averaging double figures on the season in Audrey Roden (10.5), Alyssa Jimenez (10.0) and Lexie Givens (10.0). In MW games, Jimenez leads the team in scoring with 11.5 ppg, followed by Victoria Davis at 10.6 ppg and Roden with 10.4 ppg.
Jimenez, Davis, Roden have started 12 games for Nevada with Givens and Megan Ormiston starting in all 13. Tiffany Siu has started in two and Gabby Rones has started in one.
Nevada is averaging 64.4 ppg in conference games but allowing 67.8 ppg. On the season, the scoring average is 65.4 ppg while allowing 67.5 ppg.