Four Finish in Double Figures as Lobos Score Season High in Win Over Bulldogs
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos had four players finish in double figures with two finishing with 20-plus points as UNM scored a season-high 84 points and shot 51.9% for their second-highest field-goal percentage of the season in the 84-77 win over Fresno State Wednesday night.
Nyah Wilson scored a career-high 24 points behind a career-high 10 made free throws for her sixth 20-plus point performance of the season, fourth in conference and second time in the last three games. Paula Reus recorded her second 20-plus point outing of the season, finishing with an efficient 8-11 from the floor (tying her career high in made field goals) and a perfect 4-4 from three-point range for 20 points, while also leading the team with eight rebounds and two blocks. Aniyah Augmon finished with 18 points to go with a game-high three steals and Viané Cumber added 16 points on three, three-pointers and was credited with six rebounds, tied her career high with five assists and added a steal.
It was the sixth time this season that UNM has had four players finish in double figures in a game with Augmon and Reus involved in all six instances. In addition, it was the fourth time this season that UNM has had two players finish with 20-plus points and the second time in the last three games.
Of note, Wilson and Augmon have scored in double figures in all seven conference games with Augmon creating multiple steals in the last six games and 13 times this season.
Reus paced the Lobos early, scoring the first five points before Fresno State scored its first points at the 7:01 mark, with UNM building a 13-3 lead behind an 8-0 run. The Bulldogs got the lead down to six on three separate occasions with the Lobos leading 19-13 at the end of the first.
Reus scored nine points on 4-4 shooting in the first, while Augmon had two early steals with the Lobos scoring 11 points off of Fresno State’s six turnovers.
The Lobos led by eight at 25-17 before the Bulldogs cut the margin in half at 29-25, ultimately whittling down the gap to tie the game at 33 with 1:33 remaining in the quarter. Augmon answered on the other end with a layup to give UNM back the lead and added two more free throws before the Bulldogs closed with a three for the 37-36 halftime score.
Wilson scored seven points and Augmon scored six in the second, with Reus leading the Lobos with 11 points on 5-5 shooting, Augmon had eight points and three steals and Wilson had nine points and a steal at the break.
FS took its first lead of the game on a layup on its first possession of the third quarter, but Reus responded with a three as the shot clock was running out to put UNM back in front and a Wilson layup pushed the lead to four at 42-38. After a Fresno State timeout with UNM in front 44-40, the Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run that changed the lead again. A Cumber three ended the run and started a 9-0 UNM run that gave the Lobos a 53-48 lead and the final lead change of the game. Fresno State pulled within two, but two free throws by Wilson allowed the Lobos to hold a 58-54 lead after the third.
There were four lead changes and one tie in the third, with the Lobos led in scoring by Wilson’s nine points on 3-4 shooting and going 3-4 from the line.
An 8-0 run that was bookended by Reus three-pointers and included two more Wilson free throws as part of a larger 16-4 run allowed UNM to take its largest lead of the game at 74-60 a little less than halfway through the final quarter with the Lobos holding a double-digit lead through the 2:18 mark. A Bulldog basket with 1:38 remaining brought the lead down to eight, but Augmon restored the 10-point margin on a layup on the next Lobo possession. A late 5-0 Fresno State run made it a five-point game with 10 seconds remaining, but Augmon closed the game at the free-throw line with two final free throws for the final score.
UNM shot 69.2% in the fourth on 9-13 shooting, going 3-5 from three-point range and 5-5 from the free-throw line with Reus, Wilson, Augmon and Cumber all scoring six points.
In the final 20 minutes, Wilson scored 15 points on 5-7 shooting, Augmon went 3-3 from the floor and 4-6 from the free-throw line for 10 points and Cumber scored 11 points as UNM outscored Fresno State 47-41 and shot 59.3% as a team.
Of note, UNM made eight consecutive shots starting with a Cumber layup at the 8:37 point of the fourth quarter (60-56) until a Wilson layup at the 2:37 mark (80-68) of the quarter to maintain its lead.
In addition, UNM shot 46.7% from three-point range (7-15) for its season high in three-point field-goal percentage and its 21 made free-throws tied the season high.
With the win, UNM’s win streak extends to three games as the Lobos improve to 14-6 overall, 5-2 in the Mountain West. Up next, the Lobos head to Air Force on Saturday with tip set for 1 p.m.