Hooks Scores Game-High 28 in Loss at Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas— Destinee Hooks scored a season-best and game-high 28 points against Texas Tech on Tuesday night, one of three players to finish in double figures in the 75-68 loss to the Lady Raiders.
Alyssa Hargrove and Viané Cumber each scored 10 points, the third game that both have scored in double digits this season. Hargrove also accounted for two of UNM’s three blocks, the second-straight game with two blocks for Hargrove, was one of three players to have a team-high two assists and added a team-best two steals.
It is the second game that Hooks has scored 20-plus points and the second time leading the Lobos in scoring.
Hargrove got the scoring started on UNM’s first possession and Hooks scored on a layup for UNM’s first points, with the duo accounting for UNM’s first nine points. UNM led 9-6 at the 4:53 media timeout, which extended to 12-6 on a Cumber three out of the break. Foul trouble allowed TTU to keep within reach, getting eight of its first 10 points from the free throw line.
Lara Langermann’s layup at the 3:51 mark extended UNM’s lead to four at 14-10, but a TTU three-pointer cut the margin to one.
An Amhyia Moreland offensive rebound and putback followed by a Cumber jumper kept UNM in front by five at 18-13, with the Lobos holding a five-point 23-18 lead after the first quarter. UNM led for 7:10 of the quarter with three Lobos having five points behind Langermann, Hargrove and Cumber. Of UNM’s 23 points, 12 came in the paint, while nine of Texas Tech’s point came from the free-throw line.
TTU scored the first four points of the second quarter to cut the lead to one with a Hooks layup giving UNM its first points of the quarter. However, an 8-0 run over a span of 30 seconds pushed the Lady Raiders in front 30-25, before a Hargrove free throw ended the run.
The Lady Raiders extended their lead to seven at 33-26 with 4:13 left in the quarter before Hooks scored five consecutive Lobo points to cut the margin to two at 33-31, and later closed the scoring with a free throw and a jumper with three seconds left for the 37-34 score. Hooks scored 10 points in the second quarter on 4-5 shooting and had 14 points at the break.
Texas Tech pushed the lead back to seven points within the first minute of the third quarter, in which a 6-0 run that included a Hargrove layup, Hooks layup and two free throws by Langermann brought UNM within one at 45-44 with 5:46 on the clock. Hooks’ 20th point continued the run and gave UNM the 46-45 lead, and after a tie at 47, a Po free throw gave UNM a 48-47 lead. TTU used a 5-0 to build a four-point lead at 52-48, with UNM getting back within one before a final basket gave TTU the 54-51 lead at the end of the third.
Paris Lauro opened the fourth with a layup to again bring UNM within, but it was the closest UNM got for the remainder of the contest as a 6-0 Lady Raider run within the first two minutes put TTU up by seven at 60-53. Cumber hit a three out of a Lobo timeout, but an 8-0 Jasmine Shavers run put UNM in a 68-56 deficit with 5:51 left.
The Lobos closed to six on two Moreland free throws and again on a Hargrove jumper (71-65) with 2:51 remaining, with the deficit reaching back up to nine before two free throws by Hooks closed the scoring for the seven-point difference.
UNM (1-2) returns home to host Western New Mexico on Friday at 7:00 p.m.