Lobos Set for National Stage Against Lady Rebels Sunday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The stage is set as the Lobos face UNLV in a matchup of the final two unbeaten teams in the Mountain West on national television on Sunday afternoon.
Entering as the top two offenses in the conference with an identical 4-0 record in conference and winners of six of their last seven games, the Lobos and Lady Rebels will be on CBS Sports Network at 2 p.m. MT, the first of two nationally televised games for New Mexico this year.
The last time the Lobos started 4-0 in conference was the 2021-22 season in which the Lobos started 8-0 in the MW and finished 14-4 in the conference.
UNM (11-6) and UNLV (12-4) present several statistical similarities starting with points per game with UNLV leading the MW at 74.8 ppg on the season with UNM second at 71.5 ppg. At the free-throw line, UNM is shooting 72.3% compared to 72.5% from UNLV and overall, UNM is shooting 44.4% (456-1027) with UNLV at 43.3% (445-1028) with UNLV making 7.3 three-pointers per game compared to 7.1 for UNM. Additionally, the two teams produce similar numbers in rebounds with UNLV at 38.5 rebounds per game and UNM at 38.4 rebounds per game.
Over the stretch of the last seven games in which UNM won six games, UNM has outscored its opponents 71.4 ppg to 63.4 ppg, led by 17.1 ppg from Viané Cumber and 15.1 ppg from Destinee Hooks. Cumber and Hooks have led the Lobos in three games each with Hulda Joaquim and Hooks sharing the lead in one. Cumber has also led the Lobos with 7.1 rebounds per game with UNM outrebounding opponents 37.6-34.1.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos are 28-42 all-time against UNLV, but 16-13 at home. UNM’s last win at home against UNLV was Jan. 3, 2022, a 71-68 final after LaTora Duff hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc with 5.4 seconds left.
UNM split the series with UNLV last season with each team winning on the road. A Viané Cumber three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left proved to be the game-winner in New Mexico’s win at No. 25/23 UNLV on Jan. 20 last season, with UNM winning 69-66. The Lobos held the Lady Rebels to their second-lowest point total of the season, 16 points below their season average, and gave UNLV its first conference game and home loss since Mar. 2, 2022. In addition, it was the first win against a ranked opponent since No. 16 Marquette on Nov. 13, 2017. Cumber finished with 22 points on six three-pointers, of which 17 points were scored in the final 20 minutes behind five three-pointers.
UNM led for just 3:49 in the game, 2:40 of which came in the fourth quarter, outscored UNLV 39-30 in the final 20 minutes and 26-18 in the paint, and finished with 10 three-pointers and nine steals. In the home game against the Lady Rebels, UNM lost 62-56 with Cumber scoring 12 points.
Coach Mike Bradbury is 5-11 against UNLV, 2-5 at home.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in nine categories, leading the conference in two.
UNM leads the conference in field goal percentage (.444) and defensive rebound percentage (.734). The Lobos are second in rebounding margin (+4.7), blocks per game (4.5), scoring offense (71.5) and defensive rebounds per game (27.4). UNM is third in rebounding defense (33.9), rebounds per game (38.4) and steals per game (9.3).
UNM’s 10 blocks against Morehead State are tied for the second most in a game by a MW team this season.
On an individual level, Viané Cumber leads the conference in free throw percentage (.980) and is tied for first in three-pointers per game (2.5), and 42 made three-pointers. She’s also third in minutes played (33.1) and defensive rebounds per game (5.8), fourth in field goal percentage (.438) and fifth in scoring (16.0). 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 the second most. Destinee Hooks is fourth in the conference in points per game at 17.1 and second in field goal percentage (.504). Hooks’ 11 made field goals in the game at Texas Tech tied for the most by a MW player.
Alyssa Hargrove is fourth in the conference in assists per game (3.5), third in steals per game (2.4) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.1). Amhyia Moreland is tied for fourth in blocks per game (1.5) and Hulda Joaquim is fifth in rebounds per game (7.4) and fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.2).
Against MW opponents, the Lobos are ranked second in field goal defense (.397), steals (9.0) and third in defensive rebounds per game (26.8), free throw percentage (.787), scoring defense (62.8), scoring (70.0) and three-point field goal defense (.310). Hooks is third in points per game (17.8) with Cumber seventh (16.3) and Joaquim is second in rebounds per game (8.3) but leading in offensive rebounds per game (4.0).
IT’S FREE, ISN’T IT?
Viané Cumber is about as automatic as they come from the line. The New Mexico native is 48-49 on the season, missing her first free throw before making 48 consecutive free throws. Her 48 (and counting) consecutive made free throws set the program record, surpassing Julie Briody’s record of 35 she set Feb. 8-March 4, 2006. The 35th and 36th free throws came in the fourth quarter against Nevada on New Year’s Day, with Cumber adding four more in the quarter.
Cumber currently leads the NCAA in free throw percentage at 98.0%, ahead of Freja Werth from San Francisco (43-44, 97.7%) and Abaigeal Babore from Fairleigh Dickinson (42-43, 97.7%). Additionally, she is one of four players in the NCAA to have missed only one free throw attempt this season that have made 2.5 per game and played in 75% of their team’s games (Werth, Babore and Teresa Seppala of Siena).
STARTING STRONG, NEED TO FINISH STRONG
UNM has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in 13 games which includes all four MW games (NAU, Morehead State, Western New Mexico, South Carolina State, UC Irvine, North Texas, at New Mexico State, Pepperdine, Sacramento State, at Air Force, Nevada, San Diego State and Wyoming). In those 13 games, UNM outscored opponents 242-184 in the first quarter and 211-163 in the second quarter (453-347 in the first 20 minutes), 236-200 in the third quarter and 251-238 in the fourth (487-438 in the last 20 minutes). UNM is 11-2 this season when taking a lead into the final quarter.
The Lobos led for the majority of the game in 11 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. In the MW opener against Air Force, UNM used a 10-0 run to close the first quarter and led for the entire second quarter and second half, in what amounted to 34:21 of the game. Much like the Air Force game, the Lobos used a 10-0 run in the first quarter to pull away and started the second quarter on a 10-2 run, leading for all but 46 seconds in the game against the Wolf Pack. UNM led for 37:36 against Nevada and by as many as 12 in the second quarter and against SDSU, UNM led for 36:07 and by as many as 13. Against Wyoming, UNM led for 27:14 and by as many as eight.
In the four MW games, UNM has led for 135:18 and trailed for only 18:30 and hasn’t trailed by more than five (occurring in the first quarter in all four games). UNM has led after the first, second and third quarters in all four MW games and is 4-0 in conference play.
On the season, UNM is outscoring its opponents 328-263 in the first quarter (+65). The Lobos are outscoring opponents by 262-229 in the second (+33), 308-291 (+17) in the third and 318-316 in the fourth. UNM holds a 1216-1099 (+117) edge in overall points.
In addition, the Lobos have led for a total of 436:59 this season, leading after the first quarter in 13 games (exception was Gonzaga and at NMSU; tied against Pepperdine and Abilene Christian), and trailed for a total of 188:41, with the largest time trailing 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.
FAST-BREAK POINTS
On the season, UNM has scored 186 fast-break points, while limiting opponents to 126. The Lobos held NAU and NMSU to five fast-break points, Western New Mexico, Pepperdine and UC Irvine to four and South Carolina State, Sacramento State, Gonzaga and Wyoming to two. The Lobos didn’t allow a fast-break point against SDSU.
The Lobos have had the edge in fast-break points in 12 games.
PAINT POINTS
The trend of prioritizing the paint points has continued from last season with UNM scoring 618 of its 1216 points in the paint, accounting for 50.8% of the points and an average of 36.4 points per game. The Lobos are outscoring opponents 618-476 (+142) in the paint and have outscored opponents in the paint in 12 games (9-3 in those games).
UNM has scored 50.0% or more of its points in a game in the paint in 10 games, four times scoring 60.0% or more of its points in a game in the paint.
ABOUT UNLV
The Lady Rebels were picked as the Mountain West preseason favorites and have wins over Fresno State (78-53), San José State (90-70), Boise State (61-57) and Colorado State (70-61). UNLV’s four losses have been to Power 4 schools in Arizona (lost 75-66), Oklahoma (88-58), Baylor (71-64) and Northwestern (79-76 in overtime). On the season, UNLV is averaging 74.8 ppg while allowing 63.3 ppg (+11.6) and in conference is scoring 74.8 ppg while allowing 60.3 ppg (+14.5).
Against MW opponents, UNLV is shooting 42.9% and is led by three players averaging double figures. Kiara Jackson leads with 16.8 ppg, Amarachi Kimpson is averaging 14.0 ppg and Aaliyah Alexander is averaging 10.5 ppg in conference games to date. The trio is also averaging double figures on the season with Kimpson at 13.8 ppg, Jackson at 13.3 ppg and Alexander at 11.3 ppg.
UNLV has started the same five players in all 16 games in Kimpson, Jackson, Alexander, McKinna Brackens and Alyssa Brown.
Nationally, the Lady Rebels are 16th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (1.35), seventh in turnovers per game (11.3), 48th in turnover margin (4.75), 53rd in three-point percentage (35.0), 58th in scoring offense (74.8) and 71st in scoring margin (11.6). Jackson is 12th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (2.96), 35th in assists (77) and 58th in assists per game (4.8).