Lobos Host Utah State Saturday for Senior Day

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— There are two games left in the MW schedule and the Lobos close out their home schedule against Utah State on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT.

UNM enters the game 18-11, 10-6 MW and on a four-game winning streak, also winning five of its last six and eight of the last 10.

The Lobos have scored 70 or more points with five players averaging double figures in the last four games. LaTascya Duff has averaged 14.3 ppg, Shaiquel McGruder and LaTora Duff 11.8 ppg, Amaya Brown 11.5 ppg and Aniyah Augmon 11.0 ppg during the win streak, with LaTascya making 11 three-pointers and going 20-20 from the line. Further, the Lobos have outrebounded opponents 152-132 during that stretch and outscored opponents 290-259 (72.5 ppg-64.8 ppg).

Utah State enters the game after losing its Thursday game at UNLV and are 1-7 in conference and 2-12 overall on the road this season.

Postgame, the Lobos will recognize four seniors in McGruder, LaTascya and LaTora Duff and Amaya Brown, who have all left an indelible mark on the program in their time as Lobos.

CONSISTENT TORA DUFF
Returning for another season, LaTora Duff has been the floor general for the Lobos for the past three seasons, starting in every game she’s played in (84). Prior to missing the WNMU game for a family matter, Duff had started in 60-straight games for the Lobos.

Duff has scored in double figures in 17 games, including seven of the last eight, has finished with five or more rebounds in 11 games and has been credited with five or more assists in nine conference games. She’s recorded multiple steals in nine games but has had at least one steal in 20 with a career-high five at Nicholls, which she matched at Boise State. Duff has played 30-plus minutes in 20 games with three games of 40 or more minutes, including all 40 minutes of regulation at Colorado State.

Against Air Force, she finished with 15 points, seven assists and seven rebounds and against Arizona State, she finished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists along with three steals and five rebounds, playing in 42:14. She led the Lobos with a season-high 20 points in the game against Wyoming, shooting 6-8 and went 7-8 from the free-throw line.

Duff is averaging 32.3 minutes, 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. In MW games, she’s averaging 32.0 minutes, 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

She currently has 400 career assists, eighth all-time in program history, four away from seventh and six from sixth.

TRIPLE THREAT TAY
There is no one better in the MW and very few better in the country when it comes to three-pointers than LaTascya Duff.

The Air Force game was the 58th career game at UNM for Duff with multiple three-pointers and the Nevada game was the 18th time that Duff has scored 20 or more points as a Lobo.

She currently has a career three-point percentage of .406, second all-time in program history, and a program-record 228 career three-pointers. She is just the third player all-time to make 200 career three-pointers.

The super senior leads the MW in three-point field-goal percentage at .385 (with a 2.5 3FG/G average), in three-pointers per game at 2.8 and made three-pointers (79), 22 more than the second-highest player in the MW (Vianè Cumber). Nationally, she is 21st in the NCAA in three-pointers per game and 14th in three-pointers. In conference games, Duff leads with 2.5 made three-pointers per game and 40 made threes.

She has also showcased her versatility with three assists in the last six games and went 8-8 at the free-throw line against Wyoming and San José State, shooting 93.4% from the line this season. She’s made her last 22 free throws and has missed one free throw in the last five games (29-30) and two free throws in the last seven games (35-37). In conference games, she’s shooting 93.5% from the line (43-46) to lead the conference.

ALL-AROUND AMAYA BROWN
Redshirt-senior Amaya Brown has shown her all-around ability to impact the game.

She has scored 10 or more points in 12 games this season, including three of the last four games, and recorded multiple steals in nine games, including a career-high five at Nicholls and four games with three. She’s had a steal in 19 games, has led the team in rebounds four times and in scoring twice.

Against Houston, she finished with a team- and then-career-high 16 points and team- and career-high 11 rebounds for her first career double-double, and added two steals, a block and went a career-best 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

In the game at Colorado State, Brown made a career-high four three-pointers on six attempts and went 2-2 at the line to finish with a career-high 18 points.

Brown is currently second on the team in rebounds (156, 5.4 per game) and is also averaging 1.2 steals per game and 8.6 points per game. In MW games, she’s averaging 9.3 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and shooting 44.0%.

She has also been reliable at the free-throw line, going 8-8 against Houston and in the fourth quarter against the Aggies, Brown went 4-4, including two free throws that tied the game at 57. She’s been perfect at the line in six games and is shooting 82.6% (57-69) from the line.

IN EXCLUSIVE COMPANY
Shaiquel McGruder currently has 1368 points and 831 rebounds, ranking her 11th all-time in points and is fourth in program history in rebounds.

McGruder also has 169 career blocks, third all-time and six away from second. Her 212 career steals ranks her third all-time.

During her career, McGruder is shooting a program-best .589 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 386 points this season.

Among MW players, McGruder is in the top 10 in scoring (third) and rebounds (fifth), is third in field-goal percentage and second in blocks (57), and sixth in steals per game (1.9). Nationally, she is 30th in field-goal percentage, 17th in blocks and 25th in blocks per game.

This season, McGruder leads the team in scoring, rebounds, steals and blocks and is shooting a team-best 55.7% from the floor. She’s had four games with 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds this season.

UP NEXT: The Lobos close out the MW schedule on the road at Fresno State on Feb. 28.