Lobos Falter in Fourth in Loss to Bulldogs
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Fresno State outscored the Lobos 27-7 in the fourth quarter which included a 10-0 run following a tie at 61, as the Lobos lost 77-64 on Saturday afternoon in The Pit.
UNM led for 19:49 by as many as 10 in the third quarter in a game that had six ties and eight lead changes and held a 57-50 lead through the third quarter before making only two baskets and two free throws in the fourth.
The Lobos were led by Viané Cumber’s 19 points that included four three-pointers and 17 points from Destinee Hooks. Hulda Joaquim led the Lobos on the board with six rebounds and added eight points. Alyssa Hargrove accounted for seven of UNM’s 17 assists in the game and Joana Magalhães was credited with three steals and three assists. As a team, UNM recorded nine steals with seven different players credited with at least one.
Both teams scored on their opening possession with Joaquim scoring on a feed from Hargrove. The duo combined for the next Lobo basket to pull UNM within one at 5-4. After making its first two shots, FS missed six straight shot attempts before hitting a three that made it 8-4 Bulldogs. Hooks matched the three on the other end to again pull the Lobos within one. A 6-0 run behind a Joaquim offensive rebound and Cumber layup, a layup by Hooks and a Lara Langermann jumper put the Lobos on top 13-10 with UNM holding a 16-15 lead through the first
Hooks and Cumber scored five points each in the first quarter to pace the Lobos with Hargrove assisting on three of the seven made baskets. Half of UNM’s points came in the paint while shooting 43.8% from the floor.
The Bulldogs scored five points to open the second before a three by Hooks 2:49 in to the quarter closed the gap to one. Fresno State again pulled ahead by four (25-21) with Hooks and Cumber scoring on consecutive possessions to tie the game back up. Cumber hit consecutive threes to give UNM the 31-27 advantage, and as a team, UNM made eight consecutive shots over a span of 5:03 in the second quarter to hold a 35-33 lead. A Reza Po closed the quarter with the game tied at 37, with UNM shooting 51.7% from the floor through the first two quarters led by Cumber’s 14 points and 12 from Hooks.
UNM went on a 7-0 Lobo run in the first 2:15 of the third quarter behind a layup by Magalhães, an and-one opportunity for Hargrove and a Joaquim fast-break layup. FS scored its first points on a three at the 6:00 mark, but Hooks hit a corner three on the other end and Joaquim grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up to push the margin to nine (49-40). A Moreland steal turned into a Magalhães layup to give UNM its largest lead of the game, a 10-point lead of 55-45 with 1:09 left, however, the Bulldogs but the margin in half before a Hargrove basket as the quarter came to a close put UNM up 57-50.
The Lobos outscored Fresno State 20-13 in the third quarter with 10 points coming in the paint and generating six steals in the quarter and eight turnovers in the quarter.
A Bulldog three-pointer started the final quarter with Cumber making a jumper on the other end on UNM’s first possession. FS closed within one at 59-58 with 7:13 on the clock with Hooks splitting a pair of free throws to stop the run. A three-pointer by FS gave the visitors a lead for the first time since it was 37-36 with 15 seconds left in the second quarter. Hooks split another pair of free throws to tie the game at 61, but a FS 10-0 run over 2:21 proved to be the difference in the game. A Cumber three ended the run, however, the Bulldogs scored the final six points of the contest for the final score.
UNM (13-8, 6-2 MW) returns to the road to face Boise State on Tuesday before hosting San Diego State on Saturday at 2 p.m.