Lobos Return Home to Face UNLV Saturday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos return to The Pit on Saturday for a 2 p.m. matchup against UNLV with both teams at the top of the MW standings.
UNM enters the game on a five-game win streak and at 16-6 on the season, 7-2 in the MW, while UNLV has won its last three games and lead the MW with an 8-1 conference record and is 18-2 on the season. Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between the two teams, with the Lobos winning the first game 69-66 in Las Vegas on Jan. 20.
Since the two teams last met, UNLV defeated Boise State, Nevada and Wyoming, outscoring opponents 78.0 ppg to 53.7 ppg for a +24.3 ppg margin. For UNM, the Lobos defeated Fresno State, Air Force and San José State and outscoring opponents 71.7 ppg to 60.7 ppg for a +11.0 ppg margin. In the last three games, UNM is shooting 45.7% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, averaging 19.7 free throws per game and shooting at an 80.8% rate from the line. The Lobos have also had four players finish in double figures in the last three games with Nyah Wilson and Aniyah Augmon scoring double digits in all three instances.
Entering Saturday’s game, Wilson and Augmon have scored in double figures in all nine MW games with Wilson leading with a team-high 17.8 ppg and Augmon at 15.0. UNM has four players averaging double figures with Viané Cumber at 12.2 ppg and Paula Reus at 11.1 ppg.
The game will be National Girls & Women in Sports Day with UNM student-athletes around the concourse before the game to play games, sign autographs and take photos. Admission is free for girls 12 and under.
WHAT’S TRENDING
The Lobos are:
•4-0 in games decided by 1-4 points
•9-0 when shooting 40% or better
•15-0 when scoring 60 or more points
•14-0 when UNM has a higher FG% and 9-0 with a higher 3-point FG% than its opponent
– 8x UNM has had a higher FG% and higher 3-point % FG than its opponent in the same game
•9-2 when outrebounding opponent
•12-1 when leading after the 1st quarter, 12-0 when leading at the half and 12-0 when leading after the 3rd
HEATING UP
The Lobos enter Saturday’s game on a five-game win streak, scoring 70.4 ppg and winning by a +8.6 scoring margin. Four Lobos averaged over 12 points per game, led by Nyah Wilson’s 19.0 ppg on 48.5% shooting. Aniyah Augmon has averaged 15.6 ppg, shooting 43.6%, Vianè Cumber averaged 12.4 ppg in the streak, shooting 43.1%, and Paula Reus averaged 12.0 ppg with 45.8% shooting. During UNM’s streak, Wilson has scored 20-plus points in three of the five games and Wilson and Augmon have scored in double figures in all five.
As a team, UNM has shot 45.9% in the five games, and at a 36.0% rate from behind the arc. The Lobos are also getting it done at the free-throw line, making an average of 17.0 free throws, shooting 78.7%. UNM has made 20-plus free throws in three of the games, going 21-28 against Wyoming, 21-25 against Fresno State and a season-high 26-32 at Air Force. Augmon has had a combined 13 steals in the streak and has gone 27-37 at the free-throw line, while Wilson has gone 29-36 from the line.
UNM has turned a gear in the final 20 minutes, outscoring opponents 93-80 (+13) in the third quarter and 95-71 (+24) in the fourth quarter.
GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD
UNM has never trailed in a game six times and has led for over 36 minutes in a game 10 times this season including in the last three games.
So far this season, the Lobos have led for:
•37:53 and led after each quarter against Texas Southern
•36:30 and never trailed at Pepperdine
•39:21 and never trailed against Tarleton State
•32:47 and led after each quarter against New Mexico State
•39:34 and led after each quarter against Mississippi Valley State
•38:06 and never trailed against Hampton
•38:39 and never trailed against Western New Mexico
•37:54 and never trailed at Nevada
•36:11 and led after each quarter against Fresno State
•37:57 and never trailed at Air Force
•38:31 and led after each quarter at San José State
UNM is outscoring opponents 344-291 (+53) in the first quarter and 691-620 (+71) through the first two quarters. UNM is also outscoring opponents 385-357 (+28) in the fourth quarter and 1438-1339 (+99) overall.
SECOND HALF ADJUSTMENTS
The Lobos have flipped a switch in the final 20 minutes in conference, outscoring opponents 161-151 (+10) in the third and 170-148 (+22) in the fourth for a 331-299 (+32) 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.
TURNING TURNOVERS INTO POINTS
UNM has scored 293 points this season off of turnovers, accounting for 20.4% of its points. The Lobos have outscored their opponent in points off of turnovers in 12 games with four games of scoring 20 or more points off of turnovers.
UNM is +11 in points off of turnovers with two games of +13 in points off of turnovers (against Utah State and Fresno State).
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The Pit has proven to be a home court advantage for the Lobos of late.
UNM has gone 44-6 (.880) over the last four years: 11-2 this season, 14-3 last season and 17-1 the year prior, while also going 2-0 in the only two home games in 2020-21.
Coach Mike Bradbury is 99-26 in The Pit in his eight years at UNM.
Entering the season, UNM has gone 119-43 (.735) in The Pit with seven seasons with 10-plus home wins and three seasons with 15-plus wins in the last 10 years.
In the past seven years under Bradbury, the Lobos have led the Mountain West in attendance in six (with the lone year the COVID season when UNM had two home games without any fans in attendance).
UNM finished 18th in the NCAA last season in attendance and has finished in the top 20 six times in the last seven years (exception was 2020-21 COVID season).
So far this season, UNM is 19th in the NCAA in attendance and leads the Mountain West.
ABOUT UNLV
Since the last time the Lobos played the Lady Rebels on Jan. 20, UNLV has won against Boise State (84-63), Nevada (92-47) and Wyoming (58-51) to stand at 18-2 overall, 8-1 in the MW. UNLV is 9-1 on the road, 4-0 in MW games.
Heading into Saturday’s game, the Lady Rebels are averaging 80.5 points per game and have a scoring margin of +19.5. UNLV is shooting 45.1% and 35.6% from three-point range, and led by two in double figures in Desi-Rae Young (19.5 ppg) and Kiara Jackson (11.5 ppg). Young leads with 9.2 rebounds per game and 29 steals with Jackson leading in assists with 98 (4.9 per game).
Young, Jackson and Ashley Scoggin have started all nine conference games, with Alyssa Durazo-Frescas starting in eight and Alyssa Brown in six of the seven games she’s played in.
UNLV is outscoring MW opponents 724-555 with its largest margin in the first quarter (178-100) and the smallest margin in the fourth quarter (173-162). Young is averaging 21.6 ppg and 9.6 rebounds per game in conference games, while Amarachi Kimpson is averaging 10.6 ppg against MW opponents.
UP NEXT: Following Saturday’s game, the Lobos play San Diego State on Feb. 7 before hosting Colorado State on Feb. 10.