Lobos Begin Final MW Road Trip at Wyoming Wednesday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos head to Laramie to start their final road trip of the conference season, with tip set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday on the Mountain West Network.
UNM enters the game on a three-game win streak and at 16-12 on the season, 9-6 in conference, while the Cowgirls are 17-10 on the season, 11-4 in conference and have won six of their last seven.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos hold a 47-39 advantage in the series after winning the last four in the series. UNM won the first meeting of the season at home 73-67, led by Destinee Hooks’ game-high 20 points and season-high four assists. Joining her in double figures was Viané Cumber, who finished with 16 points, which included two three-pointers to put her at 200 career three-pointers.
UNM led for 27:14, including the entire 19:11 of the second half, and had the advantage in points off turnovers (14-7), paint points (42-38), second-chance points (8-0), fast-break points (5-2) and bench points (19-14), while also finishing with a season-low seven turnovers. Additionally, UNM led in steals (5-4), offensive rebounds (8-4).
The Lobos have won four of the last five times in Laramie, with three of the wins decided by a possession.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in six categories: first in two, second in two and third in two
The Lobos lead the MW in rebounds per game (38.8) and defensive rebounds per game (27.9), are second in scoring (72.1) and blocks per game (4.3) and are third in rebounding margin (+3.2) and steals per game (8.3).
On an individual level, Viané Cumber leads the conference in free throw percentage (.913), three-point field goal percentage (.377), three-pointers per game (2.8), and in made three-pointers with 78, 16 more than the next MW player. She’s also third in minutes played (33.6), tied for fifth in defensive rebounds per game (5.1) as well as fifth in field goal percentage (.421), and fifth in scoring (16.1). 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. Her six at Boise State is tied for the second most three-pointers. Destinee Hooks is fourth in the conference in points per game at 16.3 and third in field goal percentage (.457).
Alyssa Hargrove is tied for third in the conference in assists per game (4.3), second in steals per game (2.3) and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.4). Amhyia Moreland is third in blocks per game (1.5) and Hulda Joaquim is fifth in rebounds per game (7.3) and third in offensive rebounds per game (3.3).
Against MW opponents, the Lobos lead in two categories, are second in four categories and third in one. UNM leads in rebounds per game (38.8) and defensive rebounds per game (28.1). The Lobos are second in scoring (72.2), assists per game (14.3), steals per game (tied for second at 7.4), and three-pointers per game (7.8). The Lobos are third in blocks per game (3.7).
Hooks is seventh in points per game (15.7) with Cumber sixth (16.3) and Hooks seventh in field goal percentage (.426). Cumber leads the conference in three-pointers made per game (2.9) and in made three-pointers (43, nine more than the next MW player), as well as in three-point percentage (.384) and in free-throw percentage (.878). Joaquim leads the MW in offensive rebounds (3.6) and fifth in rebounds per game (7.5). Hargrove is second in assists per game (4.9) and tied for second in steals per game (2.3).
ROAD WINS
New Mexico is 5-2 in Mountain West road games, outscoring opponents (Air Force, San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State, Boise State, UNLV, San José State) 533-519 (76.1-74.1) and winning by an average of 2.0 points. UNM is shooting 44.1% in the seven games, while opponents are 39.4%, as well as going 38.4% from three-point range compared to 31.3% for opponents, making 9.4 three-pointers per game. UNM has made double-digit three-pointers in four of the last five games, with a season-high 15 at UNLV. The three-pointers have increased from 10 to 12 to 13 to 15 in those games.
In the seven games, UNM is averaging 38.3 rebounds per game, 15.1 assists per game, 8.6 steals per game and has led for 197:03 while trailing for 69:37. UNM has not trailed by more than four points in five of the road MW games, trailing by four at Air Force and San Diego State, by three at Utah State and San José State, and by not more than two at Colorado State, with all but the San José State game coming in the first quarter. The UNLV game was the longest UNM has trailed and by as much as UNM has trailed on the road (37:55 and 26 points).
Viané Cumber leads the Lobos in MW road games with 18.0 points per game, leading the Lobos at Air Force (20), Colorado State (25), Utah State (25) and Boise State (23), with Destinee Hooks averaging 14.9 points per game and leading UNM at San Diego State (18), UNLV (15) and San José State (18). Joana Magalhães has averaged 10.9 points per game and had a season-best 20 points at Colorado State. Alyssa Hargrove is pacing the Lobos with 4.3 assists per game to go with 4.9 rebounds per game, 3.1 steals per game and 10.6 points per game. On the boards, Hulda Joaquim is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game.
3-4 INSTANT IMPACT
Alyssa Hargrove has reached double digits in 12 games as a Lobo, averaging 8.4 ppg on the season. Additionally, she is averaging 4.3 apg, 2.3 spg, 3.5 rpg, and 0.9 bpg in 31.0 mpg, while shooting 38.9% from the floor and 41.3% from three with two three-pointers in eight games and tied her career high with three against Colorado State and again at UNLV. This season she has also set a career high in blocks (three versus Abilene Christian, San Diego State and San José 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 (63) and assists (119), is third in made three-pointers (31), second in blocks (26) and third in scoring with a steal in 25 games and a block in 16. The Ohio native has 27 more steals than the next Lobo and 49 more assists than the next Lobo. Hargrove is 49th in steals in the NCAA and 68th in assists in the NCAA.
In MW games, Hargrove is averaging 8.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2.3 spg in 33.4 mpg. Her minutes are the ninth most in the MW.
Destinee Hooks has been a consistent scorer for the Lobos, reaching double figures in 25 games overall, and has scored 20-plus points in six games. She has also led the Lobos in scoring in 13 games.
In MW games, Hooks is averaging 15.7 ppg (seventh in the MW), shooting 42.6% (seventh in the MW). 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). She has had 15 points with at least a steal in seven of the MW games to date.
Hooks currently leads the Lobos in scoring at 16.3 ppg and second in made free throws (60) and three-pointers (41). Additionally, she is fourth in the MW in scoring and is third in field goal percentage (.457) and currently 57th in the NCAA in field goals (177) and 86th in points (455).
CONSISTENT V
Viané Cumber has scored in double figures in 25 games this season, tied for the most by a Lobo this season, with eight games with 20 or more points.
She is currently averaging 16.1 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game and shooting 42.1% from the floor, 37.7% from three-point range and 91.3% from the free-throw line. Cumber is second on the team in points per game, behind 150 made field goals, and in rebounds per game. She is fourth in steals (25) and in assists (46). The Albuquerque native also leads the team in made three-pointers with 78, 37 more than the next Lobo. Cumber has led the Lobos in scoring in 11 games, tied for the team lead in one, and has three double-doubles. In conference games, she’s averaging 16.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game, shooting 39.7% and 38.4% from three-point range in 34.5 minutes per game. Nationally, she is 90th in points with 451.
Further, Cumber has scored in double figures 61 times and 20 or more points 14 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 1153) and has 236 three-pointers, second 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 three three-pointers from tying the program record of 239 set by LaTascya Duff and would have to average roughly one three-pointer per game.
ABOUT WYOMING
The Cowgirls have three players scoring double figures on the season, led by Allyson Fertig’s 19.4 points per game. Malene Pedersen is averaging 13.3 ppg and Emily Mellema is averaging 10.2 ppg. As a team, UW is scoring 65.4 ppg while holding opponents to 59.2 ppg.
Against conference opponents, Fertig is averaging 20.4 ppg and 10.7 rpg, while leading the conference in scoring, rebounds per game, field goal percentage (.606) and blocks per game (2.1). Pedersen is averaging 14.9 ppg, with Mellema leading in steals (34). As a team, the Cowgirls score an average of 66.8 ppg with opponents 59.3 ppg, which is the best scoring defense in the conference. Wyoming also leads the MW in field goal percentage (.483) and assists per game (17.3), as well as second in rebounding defense (30.7), with UNM first in rebounding offense (38.8). In addition, UNM is second in the MW in assists per game at 14.3.