ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The MW regular season is winding down and the Lobos take their three-game win streak on the road to Air Force for an early game on Thursday. Tip is scheduled for 11 a.m. on the Mountain West Network. In addition to winning its last three, UNM has won four of its last five and seven of its last nine games, finding different ways to win in its 17-11, 9-6 MW record.
Last week, UNM went 48-56 at the free-throw line, 26-30 against Wyoming and 22-26 against San José State to secure the wins, with LaTascya Duff going 16-16. Duff has made her last 21 attempts and has missed one free-throw in the last five games.
Air Force enters the game 12-15, 7-8 in the MW, having lost its last four and sits a spot below the Lobos in the conference standings at 7-8. The Falcons are averaging 64.8 points per game against MW opponents, led by Madison Smith (13.5 ppg) and Kamri Heath (11.4 ppg).
UNM has three players averaging double figures in MW games, led by Duff at 12.5 and followed by Shaiquel McGruder (12.2) and LaTora Duff (10.9). As a team, the Lobos average 72.9 ppg in MW games.
THE CUMBER EFFECT
Since Viané Cumber entered the starting lineup, the Lobos have going 6-2, with Cumber leading the team in scoring in the last game against the Spartans with 16 points and had a career-high nine rebounds in the win against Wyoming. Cumber has finished in double figures in five of the games she’s started in with multiple three-pointers in six of the games.
GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD
The Lobos are 16-3 on the season and 9-1 in conference games when leading after the first quarter and 15-2 overall and 8-1 in MW games when leading at the half. When leading at the end of the third quarter, the Lobos are 15-2 overall and 8-1 in conference games.
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, won against the Cowgirls when making three on just six attempts, and against Boise State and Colorado State when making only four.
The Lobos are shooting 43.0% from the floor this season and 50.4% (501-995) when excluding three-point attempts. In conference game, the Lobos are shooting 43.7% from the floor and 50.4% (268-532) when excluding thee-point attempts. The Lobos are 12-5 when shooting .400 or better, and had a season-high 56.9% in the Feb. 4 game against San Diego State. UNM shot 54.5% in its game against Nevada and 52.2% in the game at Utah State. UNM has shot .400 or better in five of the last seven games, and over .500 twice in that span.
The Lobos have shot better than 50.0% in six games this season, four of which were in conference games.
UP NEXT
The Lobos return to The Pit to play Utah State on Saturday at 2 p.m. in what will be UNM’s final regular season home game. Following the game, the Lobos will hold Senior Day.