Cumber Hits Game-Winning Three as UNM Defeats No. 25/23 UNLV
LAS VEGAS, Nev.— A Viané Cumber three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left proved to be the game-winner as New Mexico defeated No. 25/23 UNLV 69-66 on the road Saturday afternoon. The Lobos held the Lady Rebels to their second lowest point total of the season, 16 points below their season average, and gave UNLV its first conference game and home loss since Mar. 2, 2022. In addition, it is the first win against a ranked opponent since No. 16 Marquette on Nov. 13, 2017.
Cumber led the Lobos with 22 points on six three-pointers, of which 17 points were scored in the final 20 minutes behind five three-pointers. Aniyah Augmon finished with 15 points, seven assists, four steals and seven rebounds (tying Cumber for the team high in rebounds), and Nyah Wilson finished with 10 points and two steals. It is the fourth time scoring 20-plus points in a game this season for Cumber, and the sixth consecutive game in double figures for Augmon and Wilson.
UNM led for just 3:49 in the game, 2:40 of which came in the fourth quarter, outscored UNLV 39-30 in the final 20 minutes and 26-18 in the paint, and finished with 10 three-pointers and nine steals, with Augmon and Wilson finishing with multiple steals for the fifth consecutive game.
UNLV scored the first eight points of the game before a Paula Reus jumper from the elbow put the Lobos on the board. A three by Augmon on the next Lobo possession pulled UNM within three, but UNLV answered with a three of its own to keep the cushion. Each team scored on their next two possessions to keep the margin at six with Hulda Joaquim hitting a three as time expired for the 15-12 score at the end of the first.
A three-point play to open the second restored the six-point margin for the Lady Rebels before the Lobos scored the next four points on a free throw and jumper by Charlotte Kohl and an Augmon free throw that got the Lobos right back in it at 18-16. A UNLV layup followed by a Wilson steal and layup kept UNM within two points, but back-to-back three-pointers by UNLV put the Lobos’ deficit back to eight a little less than halfway through the quarter. UNLV’s lead reached its largest point of the game at nine (36-27) with 1:09 remaining, but much like the first quarter, Joaquim closed with a three-pointer to pull the Lobos within six (36-30) at the break.
Augmon led the Lobos with 10 points and had three steals at the half, with Wilson registering two steals and Reus with one steal in the first 20 minutes.
A Reus three on the opening possession of the third quarter brought it back to within a possession, to which the Lady Rebels scored the next four points to pull away. Once again, the Lobos had a response as consecutive three-pointers by Cumber off of Augmon assists allowed the Lobos to get within one at 40-39. After UNLV answered to go back in front by six, UNM finally closed the gap with a 7-1 run capped by a Cumber three-pointer to even the score at 46 with 5:03 remaining.
UNM took its first lead of the game at 48-47 with 2:08 left in the quarter on a Wilson fast-break layup, with the lead changing hands on a three on the next UNLV possession. An offensive rebound and putback by Joaquim tied the game at 50 with a Wilson layup later putting UNM ahead 52-50. A last-second three by UNLV created the fourth lead change of the quarter with the Lobos trailing 53-52.
Cumber went 3-4 from behind the arc to lead the Lobos with nine points and Wilson added six points, as the Lobos outscored UNLV 22-17 in the quarter.
The back-and-forth continued in the fourth with UNLV making a pair of free throws before UNM went on a 5-0 run on a Reus jumper and Cumber three-pointer to put the Lobos in front 57-55. A Lady Rebel jump shot tied the game at 57, but an Augmon offensive board and putback put the Lobos back up 59-57.
A Lady Rebel three-pointer and free throw put UNLV up by two with 5:11 on the clock, with Wilson tying the game at 61 on the next Lobo possession, which remained the score until a UNLV basket with 2:39 to play. Augmon answered with a three-point play to give the Lobos the one-point lead, with UNLV taking the lead back 13 seconds later and the Lobos taking the one-point lead right back on the following possession. A UNLV free throw with 24 seconds remaining tied the game at 66 with the Lobos calling timeout to set up a final play.
With nine seconds on the clock, Wilson passed to Reus on the wing, who found Cumber, with the shot well behind the arc hitting nothing but net.
There were five lead changes and four ties in the fourth quarter, led by eight points from Cumber who went 3-4 from the floor and 2-3 from three-point range. In addition, the Lobos held UNLV to 23.5% shooting and 1-5 from three-point range in the fourth while outscoring them 17-13 in the quarter and 8-2 in the paint.
UNM improves to 13-6 on the season and 4-2 in the Mountain West. With the win, the Lobos are 4-0 in games decided by 1-4 points, 12-0 when scoring 60 or more points, 6-0 when shooting 40% or better, 11-0 when finishing with a higher field-goal percentage and 7-0 when finishing with a higher three-point field-goal percentage than their opponent.
The Lobos return home to host Fresno State on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.