Lobos Travel to Air Force to Face Falcons Saturday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Following a home win on Wednesday to extend their win streak to three games, the Lobos close the week on the road Saturday at Air Force with tip set for 1 p.m.
UNM enters the game at 14-6 on the season, 5-2 in the MW, with Air Force 9-11 on the season and 2-5 in the MW. UNM is 3-2 on the road, while Air Force is 7-3 at home. Saturday will be the only meeting between the two teams in the regular season.
Historically, the Lobos are 48-4 all-time against the Falcons and 21-3 in road games, and have won the last four meetings in the series. Coach Mike Bradbury is 10-2 against Air Force, 4-1 in road games.
WHAT’S TRENDING
The Lobos are:
•4-0 in games decided by 1-4 points
•7-0 when shooting 40% or better
•13-0 when scoring 60 or more points
•12-0 when UNM has a higher FG% and 8-0 with a higher 3-point FG% than its opponent
– 7x UNM has had a higher FG% and higher 3-point % FG than its opponent in the same game
•8-2 when outrebounding opponent
•10-1 when leading after the 1st quarter, 10-0 when leading at the half and 10-0 when leading after the 3rd
HEATING UP
The Lobos enter Saturday’s game on a three-game win streak, scoring 73.7 ppg and winning by a +5.7 scoring margin in the last three games. Four Lobos averaged over 13 points per game in the last three games, led by Nyah Wilson’s 19.0 ppg on 48.8% shooting. Aniyah Augmon has averaged 18.3 ppg, shooting 48.5%, and Vianè Cumber averaged 14.0 ppg with 48.5% shooting and nine three-pointers in the span. Paula Reus averaged 13.0 ppg in the streak, shooting 45.5%.
As a team, UNM has shot 48.1% in the last three games, and at a 37.7% rate from behind the arc. The Lobos are also getting it done at the free-throw line, making an average of 15.7 free throws, as well as defensively with an average of 8.3 steals in the three-game stretch. Augmon has had a combined 12 steals in the last three games and has gone 21-28 from the free-throw line, while Wilson has gone 16-20 from the line.
UNM has turned a gear in the final 20 minutes, outscoring opponents 60-48 (+12) in the third quarter and 63-46 (+17) in the fourth quarter.
CONSISTENT CONTRIBUTORS
Aniyah Augmon has scored in double figures in a team-high 15 games, while Nyah Wilson has scored in double figures in 14 games (with scoring 20 or more points in six games) and Paula Reus in 12 games. Vianè Cumber has scored in double figures in 10 games with four games with 20-plus points. Charlotte Kohl has scored in double figures five times and has three double-doubles on the season. UNM has four players averaging double figures led by Wilson (13.8 ppg), Augmon (12.7), Cumber (12.3 ppg) and Reus (11.9).
UNM is 10-2 when Reus scores in double figures, 11-3 when Wilson scores in double figures and 11-4 when Augmon scores in double figures.
Augmon and Wilson have scored in double figures in all seven conference games, with Cumber in five and Reus in four. All four Lobos are averaging double figures in conference games led by Wilson at 17.4 ppg, Augmon 16.0 ppg, Cumber 12.9 ppg and Reus 11.3.
TURNING TURNOVERS INTO POINTS
UNM has scored 274 points this season off of turnovers, accounting for 21% of its points. The Lobos have outscored their opponent in points off of turnovers in 11 games with four games of scoring 20 or more points off of turnovers.
UNM is +19 in points off of turnovers with two games of +13 in points off of turnovers (against Utah State and Fresno State).
SECOND HALF ADJUSTMENTS
The Lobos have flipped a switch in the final 20 minutes in conference, outscoring opponents 128-119 (+9) in the third quarter and 138-123 (+15) in the fourth for a 266-242 (+24) margin in the final two quarters. Three times in conference the Lobos have trailed at the half and won the game (Utah State, Wyoming, UNLV) with the Lobos trailing at the end of the third against Wyoming and UNLV.
UNM outscored UNLV 39-30, Wyoming 37-23, Utah State 46-40 in the final two quarters to turn halftime deficits into victories. Even against Fresno State where the Lobos led by one at the break, UNM outscored the Bulldogs 47-41 in the second half to win by seven.
FOUR-FOR-FOUR DEAL
UNM has had a season-high four players finish in double figures six times this season following four finish in double figures in Wednesday’s win against Fresno State. Paula Reus and Aniyah Augmon were involved in all six instances, with Nyah Wilson in five of the games, Charlotte Kohl in three, Vianè Cumber in three and Mackenzie Curtis involved in one game.
20-PLUS x 2 x 4
In addition, UNM has had two players finish with 20-plus points in the game four times this season, two times occurring in the last three games (Wyoming and Fresno State) and Nyah Wilson involved in all four instances.
UNM has had a player score 20 or more points 13 times this season, led by six for Wilson, four for Vianè Cumber, two for Paula Reus and one time for Aniyah Augmon.
ABOUT AIR FORCE
Air Force enters the game 9-11 on the season, 2-5 in conference and 7-3 at home. The Falcons are led in scoring by Milahnie Perry at 15.0 ppg, with Madison Smith also averaging double figures at 12.1 ppg. Keelie O’Hollaren is Air Force’s best shooter from behind the arc, making 38 to date and shooting 36.9%. Air Force averages 62.1 ppg while allowing 67.4 ppg.
Defensively, Smith leads with 51 steals, with Taylor Britt credited with 50 steals. As a team, the Falcons average 11.4 steals per game with five players with 20 or more steals and three with 30 or more steals. Nationally, Air Force is ranked 18th in steals per game. In addition, the Falcons are forcing opponents into 19.2 turnovers per game.
In MW games, Perry is averaging 15.1 ppg with Smith averaging 10.7 ppg. Smith also leads the team with 15 steals, with the team averaging 9.9 per game.