Lobos Return to Road to Utah State Tuesday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Coming off of a road win at Colorado State on Saturday, the Lobos return to the road in a quick turnaround, set to face Utah State on Tuesday night in Logan, Utah. Tip time is set for 6 p.m. on the Mountain West Network.
UNM enters the game 12-7 on the season, 5-1 in the Mountain West, as well as 3-2 in road games on the season and 3-0 in MW road contests. Utah State is 1-17 on the season, 0-6 in conference and 1-6 in home contests.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos are 27-6 all-time against the Aggies and 14-3 in games in Logan. UNM has won the last 15 games in the series, starting on Feb. 10, 2016 and includes the last eight trips to Logan.
In six of the last seven games, UNM has scored 90-plus points, which included 111 points in 2023 that set the program record for most points scored in a conference game. Additionally, UNM set the program record for most three-pointers in a game against USU in Logan, making 21 on Jan. 6, 2022 and made 16 in Logan on Jan. 28, 2023.
The last time the two teams met, UNM won 71-67 with Viané Cumber leading the Lobos with 21 points behind five three-pointers. The Lobos led for 32:14 and made 11 three-pointers, while also forcing 21 turnovers (to seven for UNM), turning the turnovers into 21 points.
Coach Mike Bradbury is 14-0 all-time against Utah State, 8-0 in games played in Logan.
ROAD WINS
New Mexico is 3-0 in Mountain West road games, outscoring opponents (Air Force, San Diego State and Colorado State) 215-196 and winning by an average of 6.3 points. UNM is shooting 42.3% in the three games, while holding opponents to 35.9%, as well as going 33.3% from three-point range compared to 26.4% for opponents, making 7.0 three-pointers per game.
In the three games, UNM is averaging 40.0 rebounds per game, 12.7 assists per game, 8.3 steals per game and has led for 107:34 while trailing for 9:11. UNM has not trailed by more than four points in road MW games, trailing by four at Air Force and San Diego State and by not more than two at Colorado State.
Viané Cumber leads the Lobos in road wins with 19.0 points per game, leading the Lobos at Air Force (20) and Colorado State (25), with Destinee Hooks averaging 15.3 points per game and leading UNM at San Diego State (18). Joana Magalhães has averaged 12.0 points per game and is coming off a season-best 20 points at Colorado State. On the defensive end, Cumber is averaging 9.0 rebounds per game and Alyssa Hargrove is averaging 3.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
20 POINT CLUB
UNM has had a player score 20-plus points in 10 games this season and had two players finish in double figures for the first time at Colorado State. Destinee Hooks has scored 20-plus points six times (21 vs. Northern Arizona, 28 at Texas Tech, 24 vs. Gonzaga, 27 at New Mexico State, 20 against Wyoming and 27 against UNLV) and Viané Cumber four times (scored 23 against Morehead State, 25 against Sacramento State, 20 at Air Force and 25 at Colorado State).
Cumber and Joana Magalhães (20 points) both scored in double figures at CSU, the first time with 20 points for Magalhães as a Lobo, and the first time with two in a game since Jan. 24, 2024 against Fresno State.
GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES
The Lobos have had three different players lead the team in scoring in a game this season, with Destinee Hooks leading the team in 10, including four of the last five games (NAU, Texas Tech, Western New Mexico, Gonzaga, UC Irvine, at New Mexico State, Nevada, San Diego State, Wyoming and UNLV). Viané Cumber has led in six (Morehead State, New Mexico State, Sacramento State, Abilene Christian, Air Force and Colorado State) and Hulda Joaquim in one (South Carolina State). Cumber and Hooks shared the team lead against North Texas and Joaquim and Hooks shared the team high in scoring against Pepperdine.
Further, the trio of Hooks, Cumber and Alyssa Hargrove have all scored in double figures in the same game in five games (NAU, Texas Tech, UC Irvine, New Mexico State and San Diego State).
UNM has had three players finish in double figures in 10 games.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in seven categories, second in five.
The Lobos are second in scoring offense (71.9), field goal percentage (.442), rebounding margin (+3.8), blocks per game (4.3), and defensive rebounds per game (27.5). UNM is third in rebounds per game (38.3) and steals per game (8.8).
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 (.966) and is tied for first in three-pointers per game (2.4), and in made three-pointers with 46. She’s also third in minutes played (33.2) and in defensive rebounds per game (5.7), fifth in field goal percentage (.431) and sixth in scoring (15.9). 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 17.4 and third in field goal percentage (.490). Hooks’ 11 made field goals in the game at Texas Tech tied for the most by a MW player.
Alyssa Hargrove is fifth in the conference in assists per game (3.5), fourth in steals per game (2.3) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.2). Amhyia Moreland is fourth in blocks per game (1.4) and Hulda Joaquim is sixth in rebounds per game (6.9) and fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.0).
Against MW opponents, the Lobos are ranked second in steals (7.5) and in defensive rebounds per game (27.3). UNM is third in scoring (71.8) and field goal defense (.401). Hooks is fourth in points per game (18.5) with Cumber seventh (15.8) with Hooks seventh in field goal percentage (.478). Cumber leads the conference in free throw percentage (.963). Joaquim is third in offensive rebounds (3.0) and tied for 10th in rebounds per game (6.7) with Cumber tied for sixth in defensive rebounds (5.5) and 12th in rebounds per game (6.5). Hargrove is tied for fifth in steals (2.3) and sixth in assists per game (3.3).
LEAD THE WAY
UNM has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in 14 games which includes five Mountain West 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, Wyoming and Colorado State). In those 14 games, UNM outscored opponents 268-194 in the first quarter and 223-181 in the second quarter (491-375 in the first 20 minutes), 258-217 in the third quarter and 269-267 in the fourth (527-484 in the last 20 minutes). UNM is 12-2 this season when taking a lead into the final quarter, 5-0 in MW games.
The Lobos led for the majority of the game in 12 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. At Colorado State, UNM led for 37:06 and by as many as 18.
In the six MW games, UNM has led for 185:37 and trailed for only 44:00 and hasn’t trailed by more than five in five games (occurring in the first quarter in all five games). In the UNLV game, UNM trailed by its largest margin at 15 and for its largest time of 23:41. UNM has led after the first, second and third quarters in five MW games and was tied after the first and third against UNLV.
On the season, UNM is outscoring its opponents 373-292 in the first quarter (+81). The Lobos are outscoring opponents by 288-268 in the second (+20), 355-326 (+29) in the third, but trailing 375-351 (-24) in the fourth. UNM holds a 1367-1261 (+106) edge in overall points.
In addition, the Lobos have led for a total of 487:18 this season, leading after the first quarter in 14 games (exception was Gonzaga and at NMSU; tied against Pepperdine, Abilene Christian and UNLV), and trailed for a total of 214:11, 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.
ABOUT UTAH STATE
Utah State is 1-17 on the season, 0-6 in conference, is averaging 63.3 points per game while allowing 78.5 points per game and is led in scoring by Cheyenne Stubbs, who is averaging 14.1 points per game. USU is shooting 36.1% on the season with opponents shooting 46.0%, and defensively, is allowing 42.6 rebounds per game to opponents. The Aggies are second in the MW in three-pointers per game at 8.1 and second in steals per game at 9.3.
In conference games, Utah State is averaging 65.5 points per game and allowing 79.2 points per game, and has played Colorado State (83-74), Wyoming (73-53), Boise State (82-77), Nevada (78-69), Fresno State (74-54) and San Diego State (85-66). The Aggies are second in the MW in three-pointers per game at 8.0. Stubbs is averaging 17.8 points per game against conference opponents, fifth among all MW players.
USU’s lone win on the season was against CSU Bakersfield (67-51) in its third game of the season.
In home games, the Aggies are 1-6, 0-3 against conference opponents, and is averaging 69.3 points per game while allowing 74.9 points per game. USU shoots 38.3% in home games, 29.2% from three-point range with an average of 9.0 made three-pointers per game.