ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— After a week off for finals, the Lobos return to the court and The Pit against Pepperdine on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be a Family Day game with kids 12 and under free. Additionally, Sunday starts a stretch of three home games, which are also the final three non-conference games on the schedule.
The Lobos enter the game 5-5 on the season with the Waves 5-3. Pepperdine last played on Dec. 6 against Nevada, winning 60-58 in overtime. The Waves share a common opponent with the Lobos in UC Irvine with Pepperdine losing 65-56 in its second game of the season.
SERIES HISTORY
New Mexico has faced Pepperdine for the sixth time all-time on Sunday, holding a 3-2 advantage in the series. It will be the fourth time meeting in The Pit with UNM also holding an edge in the series, 2-1. Last season, the Lobos defeated the Waves in Malibu, 57-48, with UNM holding Pepperdine to four points in the first quarter and 18 points through the first two quarters.
QUITE THE STEAL
The Lobos have created six or more steals in eight games this season, including a season-high 15 against North Texas, 13 in two games, 10 against New Mexico State and nine against Gonzaga, averaging 8.9 steals per game. UNM has had 10 or more steals in two of the last three games.
Alyssa Hargrove leads the team in steals with 27 (2.7 per game), following three or more steals in five of the last seven games with five against North Texas and New Mexico State, 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 seven. Hargrove led the team in steals against NAU, TTU, WNMU, North Texas and New Mexico State, and tied for the team lead against South Carolina State.
Amhyia Moreland has had a steal in seven of the last eight games, including three against North Texas, and Viané Cumber had game-high four against Gonzaga, which tied her career high. Against New Mexico State, Hulda Joaquim tied her career high with three steals, which she last did in 2022.
Three Lobos are averaging over a steal per game with Hargrove (2.7), Cumber (1.0) and Joana Magalhães (1.0). Hargrove is second in the conference in steals per game, 25th in steals in the NCAA and 49th in steals per game.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top two in seven categories, leading the conference in one.
UNM leads the conference in field goal percentage (.444). The Lobos are second in assists per game (15.3), blocks per game (4.9), rebounding margin (+5.2), rebounding defense (33.8) defensive rebounds per game (27.8) and rebounds per game (39.0).
UNM is tied for the second-most assists in a game this season with 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 (2.5) with 25 made three-pointers (tied for the most) and her three-point percentage (.347) also leads the MW. The Lobo also leads the MW in free throw percentage (.962) having made 25 of 26. 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 leads the conference in points per game at 18.5 with Cumber seventh at 15.2. Hooks is also second in field goal percentage (.518) with Cumber fourth (.440).
Alyssa Hargrove is tied for third in the conference in assists per game (3.5) and second in steals per game (2.7). Amhyia Moreland is fourth in blocks per game (1.3) with Hulda Joaquim sixth (1.2) and Joaquim is fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.6) with Cumber third in defensive rebounds per game (5.6).
3-4 PUNCH
Alyssa Hargrove has reached double digits in six games as a Lobo, averaging 8.5 ppg on the season. Additionally, she is averaging 3.5 apg, 2.7 spg, 2.4 rpg, and 0.8 bpg in 28.5 mpg, while shooting 40.7% from the floor and 42.9% from three with two three-pointers in four games.
Hargrove currently leads the team in steals (27) and assists (35), is third in made three-pointers (12), blocks (eight) and scoring with a steal in all 10 games and a block in five. The Ohio native has 17 more steals than the next Lobo and 10 more assists than the next Lobo. Hargrove is second in the conference in steals per game, 26th in steals in the NCAA and 48th in steals per game. She is also third in the MW in assists per game.
Destinee Hooks has been a consistent scorer for the Lobos, reaching double figures in the last eight games, nine games overall, and has scored 20-plus points in four games.
Hooks currently leads the Lobos in scoring at 18.5 ppg and most made free throws (28), and is second in three-pointers (13). Additionally, she leads the MW in scoring and is second in field goal percentage (.518) and currently 26th in the NCAA in field goals (72), 39th in points (185) and 49th in points per game.
CONSISTENT V
Viané Cumber has scored in double figures in all 10 games this season, the only Lobo to do so. She scored a season-high 23 points against Morehead State to lead the team in scoring, had 14 in the season opener against Northern Arizona, 10 at Texas Tech, 13 against Western New Mexico and South Carolina State, 16 against Gonzaga, 15 against UC Irvine, 19 against North Texas and 18 and 11 against New Mexico State.
She is currently averaging 15.2 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists per game and shooting 44.0% from the floor and 34.7% from three-point range. Cumber is second on the team in points per game, made field goals (48), and rebounds per game. She is second in scoring and steals per game (1.0) and tied for fourth in assists per game. The Albuquerque native also leads the team in made three-pointers with 25, 12 more than the next Lobo.
Further, Cumber has scored in double figures 46 times and 20 or more points seven times in her career.
Cumber is on the verge of a couple of reachable milestones with 854 points (146 away from 1,000) and 183 three-pointers, seventh all-time in program history. She is 56 from tying the program record of 239 set by LaTascya Duff and would have to average roughly two to three three-pointers per game.
STARTING STRONG, NEED TO FINISH STRONG
UNM has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in seven games (NAU, Morehead State, Western New Mexico, South Carolina State, UC Irvine, North Texas and at New Mexico State). In those seven games, UNM outscored opponents 139-104 in the first quarter and 113-85 in the second quarter (252-189 in the first 20 minutes), 123-93 in the third quarter and trail 136-134 in the fourth (257-229 in the last 20 minutes). UNM is 5-2 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 204-162 in the first quarter (+42). The Lobos are outscoring opponents by 151-138 in the second (+13) and 175-154 (+21) in the third, but trailing 201-186 in the fourth. UNM holds a 716-655 (+61) edge in overall points.
In addition, the Lobos have led for a total of 220:21 this season, leading after the first quarter in eight games (exception was Gonzaga and at NMSU), and trailed for a total of 141:45, 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.
DOUBLE TIME
The Lobos have had multiple double-doubles in three games. The Lobos had two double-doubles in the win against Morehead State behind a 23-point and 12-rebound performance from Viané Cumber that included seven three-pointers and a 12-point and 10-rebound performance from Hulda Joaquim. For Joaquim, it was her career high in points and the third time with double-digit rebounds as a Lobo, recording her first career double-double.
UNM had its second game with multiple double-doubles against UC Irvine with Destinee Hooks scoring 17 points to go with 10 rebounds for her first as a Lobo and Cumber recording her second of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The third time was against New Mexico State with Hooks scoring 27 points and finished with 10 rebounds while Joaquim recorded 14 rebounds and 12 points, setting a career high in rebounds,
UNM has seven double-doubles on the season with Joaquim accounting for three (also had 14 points, 10 rebounds vs. South Carolina State) to go with Cumber’s two and two for Hooks.
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
The Lobos have a total of 22 home games on the schedule with two exhibitions, 11 non-conference and nine MW games.
In eight home games, UNM is outscoring opponents 588-512 (+76) in home games and averaging 73.5 ppg while allowing 64.0 ppg. The Lobos are shooting 44.1% and 33.8% from three-point range, making an average of 8.3 three-pointers per game. UNM is also outrebounding opponents 39.4-33.4 (+6.0) and averaging 9.9 steals per game and 5.4 blocks per game in The Pit.
Destinee Hooks (16.4 ppg) and Viané Cumber (16.3 ppg) are averaging double figures in home games, while Hulda Joaquim has a balanced 7.8 ppg and 7.9 rpg to lead the team in rebounds.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE
Out of the West Coast Conference, the Waves are averaging 63.0 points per game and allowing 64.1 points per game. Ella Brubaker leads the team in scoring with 12.4 points per game, leading the team in scoring in the last two games and three of the last four, while having played in all eight games and starting in the last three.
While Pepperdine is 5-3 on the season and 2-3 on the road, Sunday will be its first game outside the state of California.
As a team, Pepperdine has scored over 70 points just twice this season with a season-high 84 points at CSUN and 75 at California Baptist. Two of their games have gone to overtime, winning both games, and the Waves have been held to 60 or fewer points in five games, going 3-2 in those games. Outside of a game at UCLA, the Waves have limited all opponents below 68 points, four times holding opponents below 60 points.
Makena Mastora is one of two players that have started all eight games (Megan Harkey is the other) and leads the team in rebounds per game (4.9), assists (19) and steals (10). Harkey leads the team with 13 blocks.