Lobos Travel to Boise Tuesday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos return to the road for another Tuesday game, set to face Boise State at 6:30 p.m. on the Mountain West Network.
UNM enters the game 13-8 on the season, 6-2 in conference play, while the Broncos are 14-7 on the season, 4-4 in conference play. The Lobos are 4-2 on the road this season, but 4-0 in conference games, with the Broncos 10-1 at home this season, 3-1 in conference games.
Tuesday’s game features two of the top three offenses in the MW with UNM second at 73.0 points per game and BSU third at 71.2 points per game, as well as the top two blockers in the conference with the Broncos leading the MW with 5.5 blocks per game and the Lobos second at 4.1 blocks per game.
The game will also pit the second-best rebounding team in the conference, UNM at 38.1 rebounds per game, against the team that is the second best at limiting opponent rebounds in the conference, BSU at 33.8 rebounds per game. Additionally, the Lobos have the second-highest field percentage in the MW at 44.8%, while Boise State has the second-best defensive field goal percentage in the conference with opponents shooting 38.4%.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos are 10-17 all-time against Boise State, 3-10 in Boise. The Lobos have lost the last three games in the series with the last win Jan. 21, 2023 at home. The last time UNM won in Boise was Dec. 31, 2021. New Mexico had a three-game winning streak in the series twice, the last from Dec. 31, 2021 to Jan. 21, 2023.
Coach Mike Bradbury is 5-9 against Boise State, 1-6 in Boise.
ROAD WINS
New Mexico is 4-0 in Mountain West road games, outscoring opponents (Air Force, San Diego State, Colorado State and Utah State) 316-275 (79.0-68.8) and winning by an average of 10.3 points. UNM is shooting 46.3% in the four games, while holding opponents to 36.7%, as well as going 36.7% from three-point range compared to 28.1% for opponents, making 8.3 three-pointers per game.
In the four games, UNM is averaging 40.8 rebounds per game, 16.0 assists per game, 9.3 steals per game and has led for 144:15 while trailing for 10:24. UNM has not trailed by more than four points in road MW games, trailing by four at Air Force and San Diego State, by three at Utah State and by not more than two at Colorado State, with all coming in the first quarter.
Viané Cumber leads the Lobos in road wins with 20.5 points per game, leading the Lobos at Air Force (20), Colorado State (25) and Utah State (25), with Destinee Hooks averaging 15.3 points per game and leading UNM at San Diego State (18). Joana Magalhães has averaged 13.3 points per game and had a season-best 20 points at Colorado State. Alyssa Hargrove is pacing the Lobos with 5.3 assists per game to go with 7.0 rebounds per game and 10.8 points per game. On the defensive end, Cumber and Hulda Joaquim are averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and Hargrove is averaging 3.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in nine categories, second in six and third in three.
The Lobos are second in the conference in scoring (73.0), field goal percentage (.448), rebounds per game (38.1), rebounding margin (+4.0), blocks per game (4.1) and defensive rebounds per game (27.3). The Lobos are third in rebounding defense (34.1), assists per game (14.9) and steals per game (9.0).
UNM’s 10 blocks against Morehead State are tied for the second most in a game by a MW team this season. UNM’s 26 assists at Utah State are tied for the most by a MW team this season and the 101 points at Utah State are the second most scored by a MW team this season.
On an individual level, Viané Cumber leads the conference in free throw percentage (.953), three-point field goal percentage (.367), three-pointers per game (2.6), and in made three-pointers with 55. She’s also third in minutes played (33.4), fifth in defensive rebounds per game (5.4) as well as fourth in field goal percentage (.434), and fifth in scoring (16.5). Cumber’s seven three-pointers against Morehead State are the most made by a MW player this season with her 14 three-point attempts at Utah State also the most. Destinee Hooks is fourth in the conference in points per game at 17.3 and second in field goal percentage (.491). Hooks’ 11 made field goals in the game at Texas Tech are tied for the second most by a MW player.
Alyssa Hargrove is third in the conference in assists per game (3.9), tied for second in steals per game (2.3) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.3). Amhyia Moreland is fourth in blocks per game (1.4) and Hulda Joaquim is sixth in rebounds per game (7.1) and fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.1).
Against MW opponents, the Lobos are ranked second in scoring (74.5), steals per game (8.3), assists per game (14.3) and in defensive rebounds per game (26.9). UNM is third in field goal percentage defense (.409) and in rebounds per game (36.9). Hooks is fifth in points per game (17.9) with Cumber sixth (17.4) and Hooks sixth in field goal percentage (.483). Cumber leads the conference in free throw percentage (.939), three-pointers made per game (2.5) and three-point percentage (.364) with 20 made three-pointers. Joaquim is second in offensive rebounds (3.3) and tied for seventh in rebounds per game (7.0). Hargrove is tied for second in steals per game (2.4) and leads in assists per game (4.5).
The 36 made baskets against Utah State are tied for the most by a MW team in a conference game this season with the 26 assists in the game the most.
FAST-BREAK POINTS
On the season, UNM has scored 234 fast-break points (11.1 per game), while limiting opponents to 158 (7.5 per game). The Lobos held NAU, NMSU, USU and FS 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 15 games and are 12-3 when having the advantage.
PAINT POINTS
The trend of prioritizing the paint points has continued from last season with UNM scoring 744 of its 1532 points in the paint, accounting for 48.6% of the points and an average of 35.4 points per game. The Lobos are outscoring opponents 744-570 (+174) in the paint and have outscored opponents in the paint in 14 games (11-3 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.
3-4 INSTANT IMPACT
Alyssa Hargrove has reached double digits in 10 games as a Lobo, averaging 8.7 ppg on the season. Additionally, she is averaging 3.9 apg, 2.3 spg, 3.2 rpg, and 0.9 bpg in 29.9 mpg, while shooting 40.4% from the floor and 43.4% from three with two three-pointers in eight games. In the game at Colorado State, Hargrove set a career high in rebounds (nine) to go with a game-high six assists, a team-high three steals and scored six points. This season she has also set a career high in blocks (three versus Abilene Christian) and assists (nine against Utah State). She also had a season-high 20 points at Utah State on a season-high eight made baskets and had four steals and eight rebounds.
Hargrove currently leads the team in steals (48) and assists (82), is third in made three-pointers (23), second in blocks (18) and third in scoring with a steal in 19 games and a block in 12. The Ohio native has 19 more steals than the next Lobo and 29 more assists than the next Lobo. Hargrove is tied for second in the conference in steals per game and 48th in steals in the NCAA. She is also third in the MW in assists per game, but leads in assists per game in MW games (4.5).
In MW games, Hargrove is averaging 9.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.4 spg in 32.6 mpg.
Destinee Hooks has been a consistent scorer for the Lobos, reaching double figures in the last eight games and 19 games overall, and has scored 20-plus points in six games. She has also led the Lobos in scoring in 10 games.
In MW games, Hooks is averaging 17.9 ppg (fifth in the MW), shooting 48.3%. Additionally, Hooks recorded at least 15 points and a steal in the first five conference games this season. The only MW players to start a campaign with a longer streak in conference play are Utah’s Morgan Warburton in 2008 (first seven games) and Fresno State’s KiKi Moore in 2013 (first seven games).
Hooks currently leads the Lobos in scoring at 17.3 ppg and second in made free throws (50) and three-pointers (31). Additionally, she is fourth in the MW in scoring and is second in field goal percentage (.491) and currently 31st in the NCAA in field goals (141), 45th in points (363) and 73rd in points per game.
CONSISTENT V
Viané Cumber has scored in double figures in 20 games this season, the most by a Lobo this season, with five games with 20 or more points.
She is currently averaging 16.5 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists per game and shooting 43.4% from the floor, 36.7% from three-point range and 95.3% from the free-throw line. Cumber is second on the team in points per game, behind 115 made field goals, and in rebounds per game. She is fourth in steals per game (1.0) and in assists per game. The Albuquerque native also leads the team in made three-pointers with 55, 24 more than the next Lobo. Cumber has led the Lobos in scoring in eight games, tied for the team lead in one, and has three double-doubles. In conference games, she’s averaging 17.4 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Amongst the conference, Cumber leads in free throw percentage, is fifth in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage and 11th in rebounds per game, while fifth in defensive rebounds per game (5.4).
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 56 times and 20 or more points 11 times in her career.
Cumber recently reached a couple of milestones, becoming the 27th Lobo to reach 1000-career points at Colorado State (currently at 1048) and has 213 three-pointers, fourth all-time in program history. She is the fourth Lobo in program history to reach 200 career three-pointers, which she did against Wyoming on Jan. 8. She is 26 three-pointers from tying the program record of 239 set by LaTascya Duff and would have to average roughly two to three three-pointers per game.
POINT OF EMPHASIS
Alyssa Hargrove leads the team in assists with 82 (3.9 per game), followed by Joana Magalhães (53, 2.5 per game) and Lara Langermann at 22 (1.1). Langermann had a career-high four assists in the game against Gonzaga with Hargrove having a career high against Utah State with nine and has had five or more assists in seven games including the last three.
UNM is averaging 14.9 assists per game on the season, third in the MW, and 14.1 assists per game in conference games, second in the MW.
ABOUT BOISE STATE
The Broncos are 4-4 in conference following wins over Utah State (82-77), Air Force (66-55), San José State (93-64) and Nevada (61-53) and losses to Colorado State (79-70), Fresno State (68-62), UNLV (61-57) and San Diego State (74-59). The Broncos are averaging 71.2 points per game while allowing 62.2 points per game and are led in scoring by Natalie Pasco’s 13.0 points per game and 42 three-pointers. Pasco is one of two players averaging double figures, joined by Tatum Thompson, who is averaging 11.8 points per game.
Two Broncos are averaging over 6.0 rebounds per game with Abby Muse at 6.7 and Thompson at 6.4 with the Broncos averaging 37.2 rebounds per game compared to 33.8 for opponents.
In MW games, BSU is averaging 68.8 points per game and allowing 66.4 points per game with three in double figures in Pasco (14.5), Mya Hansen (14.1) and Thompson (13.6).
Nationally, Boise State is 12th in the NCAA in blocks per game at 5.5 and 10th in bench points per game at 29.6 ppg, with Muse fifth in blocks (53) and eighth in blocks per game (2.5). Muse has had five or more blocks in four games, including in two of the last three, and as a team, BSU has had 10 or more blocks in four games with a season high of 11.