Lobos Open MW Schedule with Road Win at Air Force
USAFA, Colo.— Four Lobos scored in double figures behind a game-high 20 points from Viané Cumber and a double-double from Hulda Joaquim on a season-high 16 points and game-high 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season, as New Mexico opened conference play with a 69-63 win on the road Sunday.
Destinee Hooks scored 15 points with Joana Magalhães reaching double figures for the first time as a Lobo for a season-high 11 points. Sunday marked the fourth time this season in which four players finished in double figures and the sixth consecutive win against Air Force in the series. For Cumber, it was the third time scoring at least 20 points this season and the seventh game with three or more three-pointers in a game.
Alyssa Hargrove accounted for four of UNM’s 11 steals, her fourth game this season with four or more steals and eighth game with multiple steals, and added a game-high five assists and two blocks. Five different Lobos tallied a steal with two each from Hooks, Magalhães and Joaquim and one from Paris Lauro.
The Lobos led for 34:21 of the game, including the entire second quarter and second half. Additionally, UNM is 8-0 when opening conference against Air Force (4-0 on the road), is 8-1 in conference openers under head coach Mike Bradbury and has won its last five conference openers. It was also Air Force’s first loss at home this season.
Magalhães opened the scoring on the first UNM possession with UNM getting out to an early 4-1 lead in the first two minutes. A Hooks three-pointer broke a six-all tie before a 7-0 run by Air Force created a four-point deficit, which proved to be the largest Air Force run and lead of the game. A Magalhães corner three ended the run and brought UNM within one at 13-12 and a Cumber layup out of the media timeout again brought UNM within one at 15-14, also starting a Lobo run of their own. An Amhyia Moreland layup with 1:29 remaining in the first restored UNM’s lead and UNM ultimately closed the quarter on a 10-0 run over the final 2:45, while holding the Falcons scoreless for the final 4:22, to take the 22-15 lead at the end of the first.
Cumber closed the quarter with consecutive three-pointers to give her eight points in the quarter to go with two rebounds, with Hooks and Magalhães with five points each. Of UNM’s 22 points, the Lobos scored eight fast-break points and 10 points in the paint.
The Falcons closed within three on two layups to start the second quarter, but a Cumber three provided some cushion. AFA again closed within a possession at 25-23, however, a 6-0 Lobo run over a span of 1:05 on a Joaquim offensive rebound and layup, a coast-to-coast layup by Hooks and a Cumber layup made it 31-23, with the Lobos holding a 31-25 lead at the break.
Cumber led the Lobos with 13 points at the break, while Hargrove had three steals and five rebounds to lead UNM in each category. UNM led 10-3 in fast-break points through two quarters and 6-5 in steals.
Neither team scored until a Falcon basket at the 5:59 mark of the third quarter with Magalhães putting the Lobos on the board in the third quarter with a free throw followed by a layup to push the margin to seven. Two Falcon free throws started a 6-0 run over 33 seconds that brought Air Force within one at 34-33 with Hargrove hitting a wing three to push the lead back to two possessions. Layups by Magalhães and Joaquim closed the Lobo scoring in the third with the Falcons scoring the final three points of the quarter for the 43-39 Lobo lead.
A Joaquim and-one started the fourth quarter to push UNM’s lead back to seven points, with the Falcons closing within four on a three-pointer at the 7:47 mark. However, consecutive steals by Magalhães, leading to a fast-break layup by Hooks, and a steal and fast-break layup by Joaquim, stretching the lead to eight with 6:24 remaining. A layup by Hooks with 2:56 to play made it 60-51 for UNM’s largest lead of the game, before a 7-0 Air Force run made it a two-point game at 60-58 with 1:20 left. A Cumber three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down and with 50 seconds remaining provided the final cushion as Magalhães and Joaquim added free throws to push the lead to seven with 19 remaining. After Air Force made a three with 13 seconds on the clock, Hargrove hit two free throws, Air Force made a layup and Cumber closed with two free throws for the final margin.
UNM (8-6, 1-0 MW) hosts Nevada on New Year’s Day at 2 p.m. for its conference opener.