Paris Lauro and Paula Reus Reach Double Figures in UNM's Win Over WNMU

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— All 11 available players scored in Sunday’s contest as the Lobos closed their six-game homestand with a 71-47 win over Western New Mexico.

Paula Reus led all scorers with 15 points, her seventh game this season reaching double figures and her fifth in the last six games, going 3-4 from three-point range. Freshman Paris Lauro had a nearly perfect outing, going a season-best 4-5 from behind the arc and 5-6 from the floor, which included hitting her first five shots and her first four three-point attempts, to give her a season-best 14 points. Of note, the Lobos are 7-0 this season when Reus reaches double figures.

Charlotte Kohl finished with eight points, while the New Mexico natives (Jaelyn Bates, Natalia Chavez and Viané Cumber) finished with seven points. It was season highs for both Chavez and Bates.

Reus inched closer to a double-double with a season- and game-high nine rebounds, with Kohl and Hulda Joaquim bringing down six rebounds apiece for the next highest total. Joaquim also contributed a career-high four assists and added a block, with Kohl adding two assists, two blocks and a career-high three steals.

As a team, UNM made 10 three-pointers, the second-straight game reaching double figures in the category, and shared the ball, assisting on 19 of 25 baskets with Nahawa Diarra Berthe leading with a team-and season-high five assists in her first career start at UNM. Defensively, the Lobos forced 16 steals with Diarra Berthe leading with a game- and season-high four steals, one of five Lobos to be credited with multiple steals.

UNM scored the first eight points and held Western New Mexico without a point for the first 5:53, eventually building a 13-point lead of 17-4 behind a 7-0 run en route to a 19-9 score at the end of the first. Of note, the Lobos held an opponent to single-digit points in a quarter for the fifth time this season and it was the second-straight game of holding an opponent to single digits in the opening quarter. Four of the five instances have occurred in the first quarter.

An 8-0 Reus run stretched the lead to 16 at 27-11, with the lead expanding to 21 following another 8-0 run towards the end of the quarter, which included two three-pointers by Lauro, to take a 38-19 lead into the break.

UNM matched its point production from the first quarter, outscoring WNMU 19-10 in the quarter and highlighted by four three-pointers, two each from Reus and Lauro.

Reus had 11 points, seven rebounds, two steals and one assist in the first 20 minutes to lead all players in points and rebounds.

A Cumber steal led to a Reus fast-break layup to start the third quarter scoring and the Lobos continued to build on their lead as a 7-0 run pushed the margin to 55-27 with 2:37 remaining. The Mustangs closed to pull as close as 24 before two Lara Langermann free throws with four seconds left made  it 57-31 at the end of the quarter.

The Lobos again scored 19 points, scoring 19 points in each of the first three quarters, with Lauro leading with five points on 2-2 shooting and UNM assisting on all six made baskets with Diarra Berthe accounting for half.

WNMU opened the scoring in the fourth with a layup before a Joaquim jumper, Nyah Wilson free throw and Kohl offensive rebound and putback provided the largest lead of the game at 29 (62-33). The Mustangs answered to get the margin down to 24 on two separate occasions with UNM getting the points back on five consecutive Chavez points that made it 71-42. WNMU closed the game with the final five points for the final score.

Overall, the Lobos outscored WNMU 12-5 in second-chance points, 25-17 in points off turnovers, 30-26 in the paint, led for 38:39 and the bench scored 34 of the 71 points.

UNM (9-3) closes its non-conference schedule on the road against No. 21 Gonzaga with tip set for 2 p.m. MT on Friday, Dec. 22.