ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—The months of practice, weights and conditioning have culminated with the start of basketball season, as the Lobos open up their 2023-24 season on Sunday in an exhibition against Eastern New Mexico with tip set for 2 p.m.
UNM is coming off of another postseason appearance, finishing 21-13 last season and 12-6 in conference, the fourth time in Coach Mike Bradbury’s tenure that the Lobos eclipsed the 20-win mark.
Out of the Lone Star Conference, Eastern New Mexico enters the season under a first-year head coach and with 13 newcomers to the Greyhound roster after going 12-15 last season.
The Lobos enter the season having to replace four starters from a season ago and the addition of six new players to the roster.
New personnel have provided a new look and a new style of play for this year’s team. UNM added three transfers in the offseason, starting with a 6-5 graduate transfer in Charlotte Kohl, who provides collegiate experience and a physical presence inside as well as a guard in Nyah Wilson, a transfer from Syracuse who brings an attack the rim mindset to compliment Aniyah Augmon, and Nahawa Diarra Berthe, a quick and athletic guard.
In addition, the Lobos added three freshmen in Lara Langermann, Paris Lauro and Gianna McManaman, with McManaman and Langermann capable of handling the ball and a forward in Lauro who’s shot can extend beyond the perimeter.
What the Lobos do return, though, is veteran leadership and experience in Viané Cumber, Paula Reus and Augmon, with a combined 43 starts between the trio.
Cumber emerged last year, making a jump from her freshman to sophomore season. Last season saw the Albuquerque native go from 67 points her first year to 305 her second year, in field goals made (from 25 to 107) and in three-pointers, going from 15 to 73. She also made a jump in rebounds (from 29 to 95), assists (5 to 30) and in steals (from 5 to 17).
Reus has played in 67 games in her two years at UNM with 24 starts, 22 coming last season. As a sophomore, the Lobo averaged 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, shooting 44.8% from the floor and averaged 24.8 minutes per game. On the season, the Palma de Mallorca, Spain, native scored in double figures in 13 games with one double-double, had at least one steal in 17 games and was third on the team in rebounds (141) and second in blocks (14).
Augmon has appeared in 64 games in her two seasons with three starts, averaging 7.1 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore, while shooting 44.0% from the floor and averaging 21.2 minutes per game.
The Lobo guard scored in double figures in eight games with three double-doubles. In addition, she had four games with 10-plus rebounds, led the team in rebounding in five games and tied for the team high in one, and led the team in scoring in two games and tied for the team high in one.
In addition, the Lobos also return three players who redshirted a season ago in redshirt-sophomore Mackenzie Curtis and redshirt-freshmen Natalia Chavez and Hannah Robbins, with Robbins earning Preseason Freshman of the Year last season before deciding to redshirt, and Jaelyn Bates and Hulda Joaquim, who saw time off of the bench a season ago.
UNM will have one more exhibition following Sunday against Adams State on Oct. 28 before the regular season begins at home against Texas Southern on Monday, Nov. 6. Season tickets and single-game tickets are currently on sale at golobos.com/tickets.