Cumber's Fourth Quarter Carries Lobos Past Hornets
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The visiting Hornets used a 15-0 run in the third quarter to make it a three-point game, but Viané Cumber and the Lobos controlled the fourth quarter to win game one of the Lobo Invitational, 69-57.
For Cumber, she scored 12 of her career-high 25 points in the final quarter, going 4-4 from the floor, 2-2 from three-point range and 2-2 from the free-throw line, and added eight rebounds and three assists in the game to lead the Lobos in all three categories.
Cumber finished with five three-pointers, marking the 11th time in the New Mexico native’s career with five or more three-pointers in a game, and the eighth time in her career with 20-plus points. Thursday’s win also marked the 12th game reaching double figures and the third time leading the Lobos in scoring this season.
Destinee Hooks was the second Lobo to reach double figures, finishing with 14 points, the 11th time this season in double figures and for the 10th consecutive game.
The final score also marked the sixth time this season holding an opponent to fewer than 60 points, doing so in consecutive games.
Hooks opened the scoring for either team at the 8:41 mark after both teams turned the ball over on their first two possessions. The Hornets had turnovers on their first six possessions and took their first shot at the 7:01 mark, which was blocked by Alyssa Hargrove, before scoring their first points at 6:37, with the Lobos scoring on their next two possessions on Joana Magalhães baskets. The Hornets closed within two at 6-4 and again at 8-6, but a Hooks layup followed by a Cumber three extended the lead to seven at 13-6.
UNM led 17-11 at the end of the first, with a Cumber three to open the second pushing the margin to nine. Sacramento State closed within four at 21-17, but the Lobos rattled off the next four points on two Reza Po free throws and a Lara Langermann layup to go back in front 25-17. A three-pointer by Hooks extended the margin to double digits for the first time at 28-18, with a Cumber layup with 46 seconds remaining making it again a 10-point game at 30-20, which held at the break.
The Lobos outshot the Hornets 46.2% to 25.0% in the first 20 minutes with the Hornets held scoreless for the final 2:16 of the quarter. UNM also held the advantage in points in the paint (16-8) and points off turnovers (7-2), leading for 18:30 and never trailing,
The Hornets made their first three shots of the third quarter to close within eight at 35-27, however, an Amyhia Moreland offensive board led to a Cumber layup and a Hooks layup on the next possession pushed the lead to its largest margin at that point of 12 at 39-27 less than three minutes in. A Hargrove free throw, Moreland and-one and Magalhães layup pushed the margin to the largest point of the game at 18 (45-27), in what amounted to a 10-0 run for the Lobos. Sacramento State answered with a 15-0 run from the 4:35 point to the 36 second mark of the quarter to make it a three-point game at the end of the quarter with UNM holding a 48-45 lead.
Hooks made two free throws to start the fourth quarter to push the lead to five and a Cumber post move pushed the lead to seven. The Hornets again closed within three at 52-49 with 8:46 remaining, with two Cumber free throws pushing it back to five and a Cumber three in transition that made it an eight-point game. Cumber continued to hit from behind the arc with another three, her fifth of the game, which gave her 25 points for her career high, and pushed the lead back to 11. Magalhães followed with a Lobo three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter for the 65-51 lead with two Hulda Joaquim layups in the final 4:36 restoring the 14-point lead and closing the Lobo scoring. Sacramento State closed the scoring with a final basket with 1:02 left for the final 12-point margin.
UNM shot 77.8% in the final quarter on 7-9 shooting, outscoring the Hornets 21-12 in the quarter, with Cumber scoring 12 points alone in the quarter. Overall, the Lobos shot a season-high 52.1%, the second time shooting over 50.0% this season.
The Lobos (7-5) return to The Pit Saturday at 1 p.m. to close out the Lobo Invitational against Abilene Christian.