Langermann Hits Game-Winner as Lobos Edge Anteaters
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Trailing 59-56 with 2:26 left in Wednesday’s game, the Lobos closed on a 9-3 run against UC Irvine, highlighted by a game-winning three-pointer from Lara Langermann with 0.2 left, for the 65-62 Lobo win.
It was the only basket of the game for Langermann, who went 1-3 from three-point range, but left alone at the top of the arc and well behind the line, Alyssa Hargrove found Langermann, who hit nothing but net to clinch the win. Of note, the assist was Hargrove’s seventh of the night, giving the senior a career high.
The win was a collective effort, led in large part to rebounding with the Lobos holding a 47-33 edge in the category, with two critical rebounds late in the game.
An offensive rebound by Destinee Hooks off of a missed Viané Cumber three-pointer with 32 seconds left as UNM trailed 59-58 resulted in a foul being drawn for the Lobo, with the foul putting the Lobos in the bonus. While Hooks missed both, the second miss resulted in a Lobo offensive rebound and Cumber being fouled, with the Lobo making both to put the Lobos up by one with 30 seconds left.
The Lobo defense also came in clutch late with Hooks forcing a steal on UCI’s next possession, leading to a foul being drawn and two made free throws by Hooks to put UNM up 62-59 with 21 seconds left. UCI tied the game with three seconds remaining in what was the ninth tie of the game, setting up UNM for the game-winner. UNM’s defense ultimately held UCI scoreless from the 2:26 mark to the 0:03 mark with a block, a shot clock violation, a turnover on an offensive foul and a steal.
Hooks and Cumber led the Lobos on the boards with 10 rebounds apiece, a career high for Hooks, with both also finishing with double-doubles as Hooks led with 17 points and Cumber with 15 points. It was the seventh game that Cumber has reached double figures and her second double-double, while for Hooks, it was the sixth time scoring in double figures and the fifth time leading the team in scoring.
Hargrove finished with 10 points for the third Lobo in double figures and distributed a game- and career-high seven assists.
Hulda Joaquim was solid on the defensive end with eight rebounds and three blocks with the three blocks a career high for the Lobo.
UNM was tuned in from the jump, making its first four shots that included two three-pointers, to lead 10-0 while UC Irvine missed its first seven shots. UNM scored on its first possession with Joana Magalhães driving and finding Joaquim for the open layup 11 seconds in, with Hargrove hitting her first shot, a three-pointer on the next possession to go up 5-0. UNM added a Cumber three and Hooks jumper for the 10-0 lead 1:52 into the game. UCI made its first shot at the 5:51 mark and proceeded to go on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to four before a Lydie Mwamba corner three ended the run.
After an Amhyia Moreland layup made it 17-10 with 1:25 left, the Anteaters went on a 5-0 run to close the quarter to pull within two at the end of the first.
UCI tied the game at 17 to start the second, but the Lobos went back ahead on the next possession on a Moreland layup and stretched the lead back to four on a Cumber layup. However, two three-pointers gave the Anteaters their first lead of the game at 23-21 before two Joaquim free throws tied the game at 23. A Reza Po jumper created another tie at 25 with 4:35 left in the quarter, although UCI used another 5-0 run to go ahead. Hooks ended the run on a layup, but the Anteaters went into the break with a 33-28 lead after a Hooks putback on a Joaquim missed free throw was ruled too late and waived off.
UNM shot 44.0% in the first two quarters and had an 11-4 advantage in fast-break points.
There were three ties and one lead change in the second quarter with UCI outscoring UNM 18-11 and leading for 5:00 compared to 2:44 for UNM.
Each team made a three to start the third with UNM’s coming in the corner from Hargrove. Hargrove’s three was the start of a 7-0 run to cut the lead down to one at 36-35 as Hooks cut it to a three-point game, gathering the defensive rebound and going coast-to-coast for the layup and later added a putback.
Hooks continued to be the catalyst in the quarter as Hooks assisted on a Hargrove jumper and on the next possession hit a three-pointer that tied the game at 42 with 5:22 left in the quarter. Hooks’ three was the start of four consecutive three-pointers between both teams as UCI hit a three to go back in front, leading 45-42 at the media timeout. A Mwamba corner three out of the break tied the game at 45, with UCI answering with a three on the other end for another lead change. Four consecutive points by Cumber capped by two free throws put UNM back in front 49-48 with two minutes remaining and the run extended to 6-0 on a Drew Jordon fade away in the lane for the 51-48 lead, which held at the end of the third. UNM held the Anteaters scoreless for the final 3:21 of the quarter.
Hooks scored seven points in the third quarter on 3-3 shooting with Cumber adding six as UNM outscored UCI 23-15 in the quarter and shot 56.3% while UCI shot 31.3%. UNM assisted on seven of the nine made baskets, aided by four from Hargrove, who also scored five points in the frame.
UNM also had the edge in paint points (8-2) and second-chance points (9-0) in the third and outrebounded UCI 14-5 with five offensive rebounds.
Cumber opened the final quarter with a jumper to make it a five-point Lobo lead, but the Anteaters responded to tie the game at 53 and take a 55-53 lead. The game teetered between a three- and one-point Anteater lead from the 7:35 mark of the fourth quarter to the 1:37 mark with a layup by Hooks at the 1:37 mark starting the aforementioned 9-3 run that brought UNM back within one at 59-58, and while there were two ties late in the game, the Lobos never trailed in the final 30 seconds. UCI led for a total of 7:37 in the final quarter with UNM leading for 1:47.
Hooks and Cumber closed with identical four points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter while playing all 10 minutes, with Hooks also credited with a block and a steal. Hooks scored 11 points with seven rebounds between the third and fourth quarters and Cumber scored 10 points with eight rebounds in the final two quarters.
While UCI led for 14:18 of the final 20 minutes compared to 3:54 for UNM, the Lobos outscored the Anteaters 37-29.
UNM (4-3) remains at home to start December, hosting North Texas on Sunday at 1 p.m.