Lobos Face Aggies Friday in First Rivalry Game of Week
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos close their six-game homestand on Friday night against New Mexico State, the first of a home-and-home on the week with the Aggies as UNM will head to Las Cruces on Sunday.
Friday’s game is set to start at 7 p.m. with fans encouraged to wear cherry and rally towels for the first 1,000 fans.
UNM enters the game having won its last two games and 5-3 on the season, while NMSU is 4-3 after going 1-2 last weekend. The two teams have two common opponents this season in UC Irvine and Western New Mexico, with both teams defeating both opponents.
SERIES HISTORY
New Mexico holds a 58-27 lead in the series with the Aggies and a 32-12 record at home. The Lobos have won the last two games in the series and the last seven meetings in The Pit. UNM is 9-1 in the last 10 games and 20-5 in the last 25 games in the series.
In the series history, there was a span of 22 consecutive wins from Nov. 28, 1996 to Dec. 19, 2006, in which a loss on Dec. 2, 2007 in Las Cruces broke the streak, however the Lobos began a 12-game win streak the next game that spanned from Dec. 21, 2007 to Dec. 7, 2013.
Coach Mike Bradbury is 11-2 all-time against the Aggies, 7-0 in home games.
QUITE THE STEAL
The Lobos have created six or more steals in seven games this season, including a season-high 15 against North Texas, 13 in two games and nine against Gonzaga, averaging 9.4 steals per game.
Alyssa Hargrove leads the team in steals with 21 (2.6 per game), following three or more steals in four of the last five games with five against North Texas, four against Western New Mexico and three against South Carolina State and Gonzaga. She’s recorded a steal in each game and multiple steals in six. Hargrove led the team in steals against NAU, TTU, WNMU and North Texas and tied for the team lead against South Carolina State.
Amhyia Moreland has had a steal in each of the last six games, including three in the last game, and Viané Cumber has had a steal in three of the last five, including a game-high four against Gonzaga, which tied her career high.
Five Lobos are averaging over a steal per game with Hargrove, Hooks, Cumber and Joana Magalhães all with 1.1 and Moreland at 1.0. Hargrove is third in the conference in steals per game.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in nine categories, leading the conference in two.
UNM leads the conference in assists per game (16.9) and field goal percentage (.446). The Lobos are second in scoring (73.1), blocks per game (5.5), rebounding margin (+5.6), defensive rebounds per game (28.1), rebounding defense (34.4) and third in rebounds per game (40.0) and assist/turnover ratio (1.1).
UNM has the most assists in a game this season with a conference-best 24 against South Carolina State. The 10 blocks against Morehead State are tied for the second most in a game this season.
On an individual level, Viané Cumber leads the conference in three-pointers per game (2.9) with a conference-best 23 made three-pointers and her three-point percentage (.365) also leads the MW. Cumber’s seven three-pointers against Morehead State are the most made by a MW player this season with her 12 attempts in the game also the most.
Destinee Hooks’ 28 points at Texas Tech is tied for the second-most points scored by a MW player this season, with her 11 made field goals in the game the most by a MW player. Hooks is third in the conference in points per game at 17.9 with Cumber seventh at 15.4. Hooks is also second in field goal percentage (.547) with Cumber third (.439). Alyssa Hargrove is third in the conference in assists per game (3.8) and steals per game (2.6).
FAST-BREAK POINTS
On the season, UNM has scored 104 fast-break points, while limiting opponents to 58. The Lobos held NAU to five fast-break points, Western New Mexico and UC Irvine to four and South Carolina State and Gonzaga to two.
The Lobos have had the edge in fast-break points in seven games.
STARTING STRONG, NEED TO FINISH STRONG
UNM has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in six games (NAU, Morehead State, Western New Mexico, South Carolina State, UC Irvine and North Texas). In those six games, UNM outscored opponents 124-86 in the first quarter and 96-70 in the second quarter (220-156 in the first 20 minutes), 106-80 in the third quarter and 123-114 in the fourth (229-194 in the last 20 minutes). UNM is 5-1 this season when taking a lead into the final quarter.
The Lobos led for the majority of the game in five of the games, leading 34:12 and by as many as 13 against NAU but lost the lead and the game late. Against Morehead State, the Lobos led 39:33 and by as many as 24 in the fourth, but the lead was cut down to 10 in the 66-56 final. They only trailed for 3:47 (3:30 vs. NAU, 0:17 vs. MSU) in the first two games of the season. Against Western New Mexico, UNM led by as many as 29 and for 36:38 and UNM never trailed against South Carolina State and led by as many as 43. Against UNT, the Lobos led for 39:27 and never trailed, leading by as many as 19 in the second quarter.
On the season, UNM is outscoring its opponents 167-126 in the first quarter (+41). The Lobos are outscoring opponents by 121-105 in the second and 142-116 (+26) in the third, but trailing 159-155 in the fourth. UNM holds a 585-506 (+79) edge in overall points.
In addition, the Lobos have led for a total of 198:51 this season, leading after the first quarter in seven games (exception was Gonzaga), and trailed for a total of 90:31, with the largest time coming against Gonzaga of 39:13. UNM never trailed in the game against South Carolina State and again against North Texas, but also never led against Gonzaga although tying the game three times.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
NMSU is averaging 65.4 points per game while allowing 64.1 and is shooting 44.4% from the floor and 32.3% from three-point range with 5.7 made three-pointers per game. The Aggies have two players scoring in double figures, led by Molly Kaiser (18.6) with Fanta Gassama at 10.7 ppg. Beyond their contributions in scoring, Gassama leads the Aggies in rebounds per game at 9.0, while Kaiser leads in steals (17) and assists (18).
NMSU is coming off of a 1-2 result in the Gulf Coast Showcase with a loss to No. 4 Texas (90-50) and Illinois State (82-66) and a win over Santa Clara (61-49). Of their four wins, the Aggies have held their opponents below 50 points in three.