Lobos Rally to Defeat Cowgirls Behind Career Highs by Augmon and Wilson
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— New Mexico outscored Wyoming 37-23 in the final 20 minutes including by a 20-10 margin in the fourth quarter, shot a season-best 52.4% and received career highs from both Nyah Wilson and Aniyah Augmon in the 68-61 win on Wednesday night.
Three Lobos ultimately finished in double figures, led by a career-high 23 points by Wilson and a career-high 22 points by Augmon. Paula Reus rounded out the double-digit scorers, finishing with 12 points. In addition to combining for 45 points, the dynamic duo of Augmon and Wilson combined for nine of UNM’s 10 steals, with Wilson accounting for a career-high four and Augmon finishing with five, the third time this season with five or more steals and the 11th time this season with multiple steals, including in the last four games. Wilson has also recorded multiple steals in the last four games and six of the last seven games.
Augmon and Wilson have finished in double figures in all five MW contests, with Wilson leading the Lobos in scoring in three and Augmon in one. On the season, Wilson has scored in double figures 12 times with five games of 20-plus points, while Augmon has reached double figures 13 times and 20-plus points for the first time in her career.
Wyoming led 6-4 at the first media timeout before the Lobos went on a 9-2 run over the next minute. However, the Cowgirls responded with an 8-0 run to go back in front 16-13, with the quarter coming to an end with the visitors up 18-15.
Wilson started off the game going 2-2 from the floor and 2-2 from the free-throw line for six points and recorded two steals on consecutive possessions, which turned into five Lobo points during the run.
UNM’s deficit reached eight points in the second quarter, but Wilson and Reus led a 6-0 run in conjunction with the Lobo defense holding the Cowgirls scoreless for 3:17 allowed the Lobos to get back within a possession. Wyoming proceeded to go on an 8-0 run that expanded the lead to 10 at 37-27 with a Viané Cumber basket ending the run. Wyoming split a pair of free throws on its final possession of the quarter with Wilson beating the buzzer with a layup for the 38-31 halftime score.
Wilson led all scorers with 14 points at the half on 6-7 shooting and accounted for two of UNM’s five steals.
Wyoming scored the first six points of the third to expand its lead to the largest margin of 13, but Augmon answered with a three-pointer, which started an 8-0 Lobo run that shrank the margin down to five at 44-39 with 4:19 left. A Cowgirl basket temporarily stopped UNM’s momentum, with the Lobos’ run resuming with a 9-0 run with a Wilson three-pointer giving UNM the 48-46 lead, its first lead since it was 13-11 in the first quarter, and Wilson scoring seven consecutive points in the run. The run amounted to 17-2 over a span of 6:32. Wyoming scored the final five points of the quarter, which included a last second half court shot, giving the Cowgirls a 51-48 lead at the end of the third.
UNM turned Wyoming over seven times in the third, turning the turnovers into six points, with Augmon recording two steals, and Wilson and Reus one apiece.
Following an Augmon free throw to start the fourth quarter scoring, a Wyoming jumper put UNM’s deficit to four (53-49) with 8:44 on the clock. Two free throws apiece by Augmon and Wilson allowed the Lobos to pull even at 53, and Hulda Joaquim put the Lobos in the lead with a three-pointer, with Wilson credited with the assist. The run continued with a layup by Cumber and two more free throws by Augmon to give UNM a 60-53 lead with 57 seconds remaining in what amounted to an 11-0 run over the course of 5:07.
Wyoming ended the run with a jumper, with its points coming 7:56 apart, but the Lobos got the points back at the line with Reus knocking down a pair. A Wyoming three made it a four-point game with 36 seconds left, but Charlotte Kohl extended the lead to six with a pair of free throws of her own. The Cowgirls made a three with 20 seconds to play that made it a one-possession game, but Augmon gave UNM cushion with two free throws and Wilson recorded her final steal of the contest that turned into an Augmon fast-break layup for the final points of the game.
UNM went 13-14 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, led by 7-8 shooting by Augmon and 2-2 shooting from Reus, Kohl and Wilson. Augmon finished with nine points in the fourth to finish with 16 points in the final 20 minutes.
Of note, Kohl extended her block streak to 15 games, finishing with two, while Reus also recorded two, her third game with two this season.
With the win, UNM improves to 12-6 on the season, 3-2 in the Mountain West, and is now 6-0 on the season when scoring between 60-69 points and 11-0 when scoring 60 or more points.
Up next, the Lobos head to Las Vegas for a game against UNLV on Saturday at 3 p.m. MT.