UNM Begins Lobo Invitational with Sacramento State Thursday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos close out the non-conference schedule at home with the Lobo Invitational, with New Mexico hosting Sacramento State and Abilene Christian in a three-game tournament.
The Lobos will play Sacramento State on Thursday at 7 p.m. with Sacramento State and Abilene Christian playing a neutral game on Friday afternoon before UNM plays Abilene Christian on Saturday at 1 p.m. All three games will be available on the Mountain West Network with live stats available. The neutral game on Friday will also have free admission.
UNM is 6-5 on the season after defeating Pepperdine 82-59 on Dec. 15 behind four in double figures. For Sacramento State, the Hornets are 7-4 on the season after defeating San José State 66-39 on Dec. 15. The Hornets have won three of their last four games.
SERIES HISTORY
New Mexico has faced Sacramento State twice before with both games in The Pit. The Lobos won both games, the first 84-71 in 2015 and most recently 85-53 in 2018. Two current members of the Lobo coaching staff were players in that 2018 meeting, with assistant coach Nike McClure registering eight points, eight rebounds, five blocks and three steals in the game and graduate assistant Jaisa Nunn scoring 10 points to go with nine rebounds.
QUITE THE STEAL
The Lobos have created six or more steals in nine games this season, including a season-high 15 against North Texas, 13 in two games, 12 against Pepperdine, 10 against New Mexico State and nine against Gonzaga, averaging 9.2 steals per game. UNM has had 10 or more steals in three of the last four games.
Alyssa Hargrove leads the team in steals with 28 (2.5 per game), following three or more steals in five 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 eight of the last nine 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 (2.5), Cumber (1.1) and Joana Magalhães (1.1). Hargrove is tied for second in the conference in steals per game, 31st in steals in the NCAA and 55th 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 three.
UNM leads the conference in field goal percentage (.447), rebounding margin (+6.4) and rebounds per game (39.6). The Lobos are second in assists per game (15.6), blocks per game (4.8), rebounding defense (33.3) and defensive rebounds per game (28.0).
UNM’s 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) and 27 made three-pointers. 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 leads the conference in points per game at 18.1 with Cumber seventh at 14.9. Hooks is also second in field goal percentage (.527) with Cumber fourth (.431).
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.
Alyssa Hargrove is third in the conference in assists per game (3.8) and tied for second in steals per game (2.5). Amhyia Moreland is fourth in blocks per game (1.4) with Hulda Joaquim eighth (1.1) and Joaquim is fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.5) with Cumber third in defensive rebounds per game (5.5).
KEEP IT BELOW 10
The Lobos have held an opponent below 10 points in a quarter six times this season, doing it twice in a game twice, with both occurring in the second and third quarters. Four of the six times happened in the second quarter.
UNM held Morehead State to eight points in the second quarter and seven points in the third quarter and held South Carolina State to nine points in the second quarter and five points in the third. Against North Texas, UNM held the Mean Green to eight points in the second quarter and against Pepperdine, UNM held the Waves to seven points in the second quarter.
STARTING STRONG, NEED TO FINISH STRONG
UNM has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in eight games (NAU, Morehead State, Western New Mexico, South Carolina State, UC Irvine, North Texas, at New Mexico State, and Pepperdine). In those eight games, UNM outscored opponents 154-119 in the first quarter and 137-92 in the second quarter (291-211 in the first 20 minutes), 147-108 in the third quarter and trail 158-153 in the fourth (300-266 in the last 20 minutes). UNM is 6-2 this season when taking a lead into the final quarter.
The Lobos led for the majority of the game in six 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. In the game against Pepperdine, UNM led for 34:10 and by as many as 30.
On the season, UNM is outscoring its opponents 219-177 in the first quarter (+42). The Lobos are outscoring opponents by 175-145 in the second (+30) and 199-169 (+30) in the third, but trailing 205-223 in the fourth. UNM holds a 798-714 (+84) edge in overall points.
In addition, the Lobos have led for a total of 254:31 this season, leading after the first quarter in eight games (exception was Gonzaga and at NMSU; tied against Pepperdine), and trailed for a total of 144:40, 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.
FAST-BREAK POINTS
On the season, UNM has scored 127 fast-break points, while limiting opponents to 76. The Lobos held NAU and NMSU to five fast-break points, Western New Mexico, Pepperdine and UC Irvine to four and South Carolina State and Gonzaga to two.
The Lobos have had the edge in fast-break points in eight games.
PAINT POINTS
The trend of prioritizing the paint points has continued from last season with UNM scoring 404 of its 798 points in the paint, accounting for 50.6% of the points and an average of 36.7 points per game. The Lobos are outscoring opponents 404-304 (+100) in the paint and have outscored opponents in the paint in eight games (5-3 in those games).
In the season opener, UNM scored 42 of its 78 points in the paint, accounting for 53.8%. UNM outscored NAU 42-34 in the paint, with 14 points in both the first and second quarters coming in the paint to account for 28 of UNM’s 42 points at the half. UNM had a season-best 56 paint points in the game against Western New Mexico, accounting for a season-high 65.9% of the total points. In the game against South Carolina State, UNM outscored the Lady Bulldogs 48-18 in the paint, scoring 60.0% of the total points in the paint. In the game against Gonzaga, UNM outscored the Bulldogs 38-30 in the paint with 55.9% of UNM’s total points coming in the paint. Against UNT, UNM outscored the Mean Green 38-36 in the paint and 50.7% of its points came in the paint. In the game at NMSU, the Lobos outscored the Aggies 40-30 in the paint, accounting for 66.7% of the total points (60). Against Pepperdine, the Lobos outscored the Waves 40-18 in the paint and 48.8% of the total points (82).
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
In nine home games, UNM is outscoring opponents 670-571 (+99) in home games and averaging 74.4 ppg while allowing 63.4 ppg. The Lobos are shooting 44.5% and 33.8% from three-point range, making an average of 8.3 three-pointers per game. UNM is also outrebounding opponents 40.1-32.8 (+7.3) and averaging 10.1 steals per game and 5.2 blocks per game in The Pit.
Destinee Hooks (16.0 ppg) and Viané Cumber (15.9 ppg) are averaging double figures in home games, while Hulda Joaquim has a balanced 8.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg to lead the team in rebounds and Alyssa Hargrove is averaging 8.6 ppg and 4.2 apg.
ABOUT SACRAMENTO STATE
Out of the Big Sky Conference, the Hornets are averaging 67.8 points per game while allowing 56.6 points per game, scoring a season-high 88 points against Lincoln (CA) and allowing a season-low 34 points against Wagner.
In all seven wins, Sacramento State has allowed fewer than 60 points, twice allowing fewer than 40 (also allowed 39 against San José State). Two Hornets are averaging double figures in Jaydia Martin (13.5 ppg) and Lina Falk (11.9 ppg), and are also the only two players who have started all 11 games. Martin has led the team in scoring in the last three games with 31 points (Kansas City), 22 points (at Omaha) and 17 points (against San José State). Martin has also led the team in rebounds in two of the last three.
Falk leads the team in rebounds (5.2 per game) with Benthe Versteeg leading in assists (4.7 per game) and Sofia Alonso leading in steals (20, 1.8 per game). As a team, the Hornets are averaging 10.1 steals per game and 15.2 assists per game.
The Hornets are 1-2 on the road this season, averaging 58.3 ppg and allowing 61.0 ppg. While the Hornets are shooting 44.1% and 31.1% from three-point range with an average of 6.0 per game on the season, the Hornets are shooting 39.5% and 23.8% from three with 3.3 made per game on the road.
Sacramento State was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, while Versteeg was named to the preseason All-Big Sky Conference team.