Lobos Begin MW Schedule at Air Force Sunday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobo women’s basketball schedule turns to conference opponents, starting on the road at Air Force on Sunday afternoon on the Mountain West Network. Air Force enters the game 10-2 on the season, 6-0 at home, while the Lobos enter the game 7-6 on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos lead the all-time series 49-4 and are 22-3 in games at Air Force. UNM has won the last five games in the series, with two of those road games, and eight of the last 10. From Feb. 6, 2013 to Jan. 11, 2020, the Lobos won 12 consecutive games against the Falcons.
Coach Mike Bradbury is 11-2 all-time against Air Force, 5-1 on the road.
MW OPENERS
Historically, the Lobos are 14-11 in MW openers, 8-6 when opening on the road. Under Coach Mike Bradbury, UNM is 7-1 and has won the last four conference openers.
UNM has opened MW play seven previous times against Air Force: 1999-2000 (a 72-53 win at Air Force), 2002-03 a 93-57 win at home), 2003-04 (a 65-43 win at Air Force), 2004-05 (a 72-58 win at home), 2017-18 (won 88-59 at Air Force), 2018-19 (won 78-57 at home), and 2022-23 (a 70-58 win at home), with UNM winning all seven including three times on the road.
QUITE THE STEAL
The Lobos have created six or more steals in 11 games and 10 or more steals in six this season, including a season-high 15 against North Texas, 13 in two games, 12 against Pepperdine and Abilene Christian, 10 against New Mexico State and nine against Gonzaga and Sacramento State, averaging 9.4 steals per game. UNM has had 10 or more steals in four of the last six games.
Alyssa Hargrove leads the team in steals with 29 (2.2 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 12 games 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 and Viané Cumber have had a steal in nine games, with Moreland credited with a career-high four against ACU and Cumber a 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.
Five Lobos are averaging over a steal per game with Hargrove (2.2), Joana Magalhães (1.2), Cumber and Moreland at 1.1 and Joaquim (1.0). Hargrove is fourth in the conference in steals per game and 56th in steals in the NCAA.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in six categories, leading the conference in three.
UNM leads the conference in field goal percentage (.449), rebounding margin (+5.6) and rebounding defense (33.2). The Lobos are second in blocks per game (4.9), and defensive rebounds per game (27.6) and third in rebounds per game (38.8).
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 (2.7), three-point field goal percentage (.368) and 35 made three-pointers (five more than the next MW player). 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 is fourth in the conference in points per game at 16.9 with Cumber sixth at 15.9. Hooks is also second in field goal percentage (.497) with Cumber third (.452).
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 fourth in the conference in assists per game (3.5) and in steals per game (2.2). Amhyia Moreland is tied for second in blocks per game (1.5) with Hargrove tied for seventh (1.0) and Hulda Joaquim is fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.0) with Cumber second in defensive rebounds per game (5.9).
KEEP IT BELOW 10
The Lobos have held an opponent below 10 points in a quarter seven times this season, doing it twice in a game twice, with both occurring in the second and third quarters. Five of the seven 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. In the game against Sacramento State, UNM held the Hornets to nine points in the second quarter.
STARTING STRONG, NEED TO FINISH STRONG
UNM has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in nine games (NAU, Morehead State, Western New Mexico, South Carolina State, UC Irvine, North Texas, at New Mexico State, Pepperdine and Sacramento State). In those nine games, UNM outscored opponents 171-130 in the first quarter and 150-101 in the second quarter (321-231 in the first 20 minutes), 165-133 in the third quarter and 174-170 in the fourth (339-303 in the last 20 minutes). UNM is 7-2 this season when taking a lead into the final quarter.
The Lobos led for the majority of the game in seven 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. Against Sacramento State, the Lobos never trailed, leading for 38:30 and by as many as 18 in the third quarter.
On the season, UNM is outscoring its opponents 257-209 in the first quarter (+48). The Lobos are outscoring opponents by 201-167 in the second (+34) and 237-224 (+13) in the third, but trailing 248-241 in the fourth. UNM holds a 936-848 (+88) edge in overall points.
In addition, the Lobos have led for a total of 301:41 this season, leading after the first quarter in nine games (exception was Gonzaga and at NMSU; tied against Pepperdine and Abilene Christian), and trailed for a total of 170:11, with the largest time coming against Gonzaga of 39:13. UNM never trailed in the game against South Carolina State, North Texas and Sacramento State, but also never led against Gonzaga although tying the game three times.
CONSISTENT V
Viané Cumber has scored in double figures in all 13 games this season, the only Lobo to do so. She scored 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 scored 12 points against Pepperdine and a game- and career-high 25 points against Sacramento State. She led the Lobos in scoring for the second time in the week with 18 against Abilene Christian.
She is currently averaging 15.9 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game and shooting 45.2% from the floor, 36.8% from three-point range and 96.8% from the free throw line. Additionally, she has made 30 consecutive free throws. Cumber is second on the team in points per game, behind 71 made field goals, and in rebounds per game. She is tied for third in steals per game (1.1) and third in assists per game. The Albuquerque native also leads the team in made three-pointers with 35, 19 more than the next Lobo. Cumber has led the Lobos in scoring in four games, including the last two, and tied for the team lead in one, and has two double-doubles.
Amongst the conference, Cumber is sixth in scoring, third in field goal percentage and tied for eighth in rebounds per game.
Last season, Cumber scored in double figures in 17 games with four games of 20-plus points, leading the Lobos in scoring six times. The Lobo also registered three double-doubles, with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds against Eastern Illinois, 21 points and 11 rebounds against Utah State and 11 rebounds and 10 points at San Diego State.
Further, Cumber has scored in double figures 49 times and 20 or more points eight times in her career.
ABOUT AIR FORCE
Averaging 67.5 points per game and allowing 58.0 points per game, the Falcons are 10-2 with losses to Army (57-51 in overtime) and at Oregon (98-36). Air Force is led by two in double figures, Milahnie Perry (16.0) and Madison Smith (14.3) with Jo Huntimer the prime facilitator with 48 assists. Perry has only scored in single figures one time this season (two at Oregon) with three games of 20-plus points, and Smith has only been held to single digits one time this season (four at Oregon).
Defensively, Jayda McNabb leads on the boards with 8.0 rebounds per game and in blocks with 13 and Smith leads in steals (32). As a team, the Falcons are averaging 13.0 steals per game, which leads the Mountain West and 15th in the NCAA.