Lobos Use Strong Second Quarter to Handle Waves
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos scored the first nine points of the second quarter and outscored Pepperdine 24-7 in the quarter to take control of Sunday’s game, winning 82-59.
Of note, it was the sixth time this season holding an opponent under 10 points in a quarter and the fourth time in the second quarter, as well as the fifth game in which the Lobos have held an opponent under 60 points, improving to 5-0 in that instance.
The Lobos had balanced scoring with four players in double figures, led by 14 apiece from Hulda Joaquim and Destinee Hooks, with Joaquim a perfect 6-6 from the floor. Hooks added seven rebounds, three assists and a block, while also not committing a turnover. Viané Cumber and Amhyia Moreland finished with 12 points each with Cumber adding a game-high nine rebounds to go with three assists and two steals, with the steals tying for the team high. It was the third game this season in which the Lobos had four players reach double digits.
In total, the Lobos forced 12 steals with Cumber, Nayli Padilla, Reza Po and Joana Magalhães each credited with two and eight different Lobos with at least one. Sunday was the fifth game this season that the Lobos recorded 10-plus steals.
UNM led in nearly every statistical category, leading for 34:10 as well as 20-16 in points off of turnovers, points in the paint (40-18), second-chance points (12-4), fast-break points (13-4), field-goal percentage (47.7%-37.5%) and made free throws (11-8).
After six lead changes and three ties in the first quarter with neither team leading by more than three (UNM led 5-2 and again at 15-12) the game was tied at 15 through one with Joaquim leading the scoring for the Lobos with five points. Of the 15 points, 12 came in the paint and UNM held an 8-2 edge in fast-break points and 9-2 edge in points off turnovers.
UNM scored the first nine points of the second quarter on a Joaquim layup, a Cumber offensive board and putback, an Alyssa Hargrove three and a basket by Hooks, with Pepperdine not scoring its first point of the quarter until a free throw at the 6:13 mark. The Waves cut the lead to six on two free throws before a Lara Langermann three followed by Cumber stealing the ball on the inbound and converting it into points on a jumper to push the lead into double digits at 29-18. Consecutive Cumber three-pointers stretched the lead to 15 with 2:13 remaining and gave her double figures for the 11th time this season, with all 10 of her points coming in the second quarter. After a Wave jumper, the Lobos scored the final four points of the quarter on two Padilla free throws and a Joaquim layup with eight seconds left for the 39-22 score at the break.
The Lobos outscored the Waves 24-7 in the quarter with three Pepperdine points coming at the free-throw line. From the floor, Pepperdine went 2-14 (14.3%), while the Lobos shot 45.0% with four three-pointers.
Cumber led all scorers with 10 points in the half, while also having a game-high seven rebounds and two steals. As a team, UNM had seven steals with two each from Padilla and Cumber, had the edge in points off turnovers (15-6), second-chance points (4-0), fast-break points (10-2) and points in the paint (20-8).
Joaquim scored the first three points of the third to give her double figures with Cumber adding a floater to double the score 44-22. The Lobos made their first four shots of the quarter with Magalhães and Hooks hitting from behind the arc to extend the lead to 50-22 before Pepperdine made a layup at 6:58. Starting with the Padilla free throws at the end of the second quarter, the Lobos went on a 15-0 run through the 7:15 mark of the quarter.
Pepperdine got as close as 24 points (54-30) before UNM built its lead back up to 28 at 58-30, holding the Waves without a point for 2:33 until a free throw with 1:40 left in the quarter and without a field goal for 3:28, which made it 58-37 with 45 seconds left. A Hargrove three and a Joaquim offensive rebound and layup closed the quarter with UNM ahead 63-37.
Hooks scored seven points in the third quarter on 3-4 shooting, with UNM shooting 60.0% compared to 33.3% from Pepperdine.
Hooks opened the scoring in the fourth with a basket to give her 12 points in the game and after Pepperdine cut the lead to 24, Padilla scored five straight Lobo points to make it 72-43, giving her a season-high seven points in the game. A Moreland free throw created the largest lead at 30 (73-43) with 5:59 remaining, with the Waves able to get it down to 23 on two occasions for the final margin.
Hargrove finished with a game-high seven assists, tying her career high she set earlier this season against UC Irvine. Additionally, Sunday was the 10th game in which Hooks finished in double figures and the ninth consecutive game, the fifth game in double figures for Joaquim and the third game for Moreland.
UNM (6-5) is off until Thursday against Sacramento State, the start of the three-day Lobo Invitational. Game time for Thursday’s game is at 7 p.m.