Lobos Set Program Record with Seven in Double Figures in Rout of Aggies
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— If ever there was a fitting way to honor four seniors that meant so much to the Lobo women’s basketball program, Saturday was it.
Amaya Brown opened the scoring with a steal and layup on a LaTascya Duff assist and Shaiquel McGruder followed it up with a steal, offensive rebound and layup to set the tone for the wire-to-wire 111-55 win for New Mexico.
Not only did the 111 points set the program record for the most points scored in a conference game and the second-most scored overall, seven Lobos scored double figures, also a first in program history. Further, it was the sixth-straight game that the Lobos have scored 90-plus points against the Aggies and the second time this season making 16 three-pointers against Utah State.
McGruder led with a team-high 17 points with Viané Cumber finishing with 14, LaTascya with 13, Brown and LaTora Duff with 11 and Kath van Bennekom and Jaelyn Bates with 12 and 11, respectively off of the bench. It was a career-high for van Bennekom, who went 6-7 in the game and also had six rebounds.
The four seniors combined for 52 points, 21 rebounds, five steals, 11 assists and three blocks in the game.
Eight different players made at least one three-pointer, led by four from Cumber and three each from LaTascya and Bates. Brown finished with a double-double with 10 rebounds to go with her 11 points for her third of the season, and added two steals. McGruder registered three blocks and three steals and had seven rebounds, and Bates and Hulda Joaquim registered two blocks apiece, with the Lobos finishing with nine blocks. UNM also had nine steals with Cumber adding two, Paula Reus one and Bates one.
A 13-0 run in the first quarter took a 6-4 lead to a 19-4 lead with the margin reaching 20 at 32-12 at the end of the first quarter after the Lobos closed on an 8-0 run.
UNM made six three-pointers in the first quarter and shot 59.1% from the floor, led by McGruder with nine points and 4-4 shooting.
The gap stretched to 29 points with 2:18 remaining in the second quarter on a Cumber three that made it 47-18, with LaTora making a jumper as time expired at the end of the quarter to give UNM a 49-22 lead at the break.
UNM led by 41 midway through the third quarter following another 8-0 run and a 9-2 run capped by a Bates steal and layup built the lead to 74-30 with 2:55 to go In the frame. The Lobos outscored the Aggies 30-15 in the third, shooting 50.0% from the field and 57.1% from three-point range and LaTascya accounting for 10 points.
Following a van Bennekom layup that put UNM ahead 83-37 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, LaTora fouled to stop the clock and provided a moment for the four seniors to take their exit. From there, the Lobos continued their scoring with a Bates three-pointer pushing the lead to 52 and gave Bates 11 points, a Joaquim three-pointer getting the Lobos to 100 and a van Bennekom layup giving the Lobo 10 points and the seventh player to reach double figures.
UNM shot 70.6% in the fourth quarter with van Bennekom 5-5 for 10 points and the starters responsible for just four of UNM’s 32 points in the quarter.
In the two quarters combined, UNM shot 60.0% from the floor and 64.3% from three-point range with nine made three-pointers. Overall, UNM shot 54.8% in the game, going 40-73, tying the second-highest field-goal percentage this season.
With the win, the Lobos have won their last five games and stand at 19-11 overall, 11-6 in the MW with one MW game remaining at Fresno State on Tuesday night.