Lobos at Fresno State Saturday for Final MW Road Game of Season
FRESNO, Calif.— The Lobos remain on the road to face Fresno State on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT/ 2 p.m. MT on the Mountain West Network.
UNM enters the penultimate conference game of the season 16-13 on the season, 9-7 in conference and FS 17-12 on the season, 8-8 in conference.
Heading in to Saturday’s game, New Mexico is fifth in the MW standings with Fresno State sixth.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lobos hold a 19-17 edge in the all-time series with Fresno State, winning three of the last four games in the series. UNM is 5-10 in Fresno, but did win the last meeting in Fresno 72-58 in the last MW conference game in 2024.
Fresno State won the first meeting between the two teams this season 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.
MOUNTAIN OF STATS
Among the Mountain West teams, the Lobos rank in the top three in five categories: first in one, second in three and third in one.
The Lobos lead the MW in defensive rebounds per game (28.0), are second in scoring (71.0), rebounds per game (38.7) and blocks per game (4.3) and are third in steals per game (8.2).
On an individual level, Viané Cumber leads the conference in free throw percentage (.913), three-point field goal percentage (.367), three-pointers per game (2.8), and in made three-pointers with 80, 16 more than the next MW player. She’s also third in minutes played (33.6), seventh in defensive rebounds per game (5.0) as well as seventh in field goal percentage (.412), and fifth in scoring (15.8). 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 sixth in the conference in points per game at 15.8 and third in field goal percentage (.453).
Alyssa Hargrove is third in the conference in assists per game (4.2), second in steals per game (2.2) 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 (7.2) and third in offensive rebounds per game (3.2).
Against MW opponents, the Lobos lead in two categories, are second in two categories and third in two. UNM leads in rebounds per game (38.7) and defensive rebounds per game (28.4). The Lobos are second in scoring (70.2) and blocks per game (3.9) and third in steals per game (7.2) and three-pointers per game (tied at 7.6).
Hooks is ninth in points per game (14.9) with Cumber sixth (15.8) and Hooks eighth in field goal percentage (.419). Cumber leads the conference in three-pointers made per game (2.8) and in made three-pointers (45, nine more than the next MW player), as well as in three-point percentage (.366) and in free-throw percentage (.878). Joaquim leads the MW in offensive rebounds (3.4) and sixth in rebounds per game (7.3). Hargrove is second in assists per game (4.8) and third in steals per game (2.2).
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 second most. The 101 points are the most scored by a MW team against a MW opponent and the 15 three-pointers at UNLV are tied for the most.
FAST-BREAK POINTS
On the season, UNM has scored 314 fast-break points (10.8 per game), while limiting opponents to 217 (7.5 per game). The Lobos held NAU, NMSU, USU, FS, BSU and SJSU to five fast-break points, Western New Mexico, Pepperdine, UC Irvine and Colorado State to four and South Carolina State, Sacramento State, Gonzaga and Wyoming to two. The Lobos didn’t allow a fast-break point against SDSU or at Wyoming.
The Lobos have had the edge in fast-break points in 21 games and are 14-7 when having the advantage.
PAINT POINTS
The trend of prioritizing the paint points has continued from last season with UNM scoring 978 of its 2059 points in the paint, accounting for 47.5% of the points and an average of 33.7 points per game. The Lobos are outscoring opponents 978-850 (+128) in the paint and have outscored opponents in the paint in 17 games (14-3 in those games).
UNM has scored 50.0% or more of its points in a game in the paint in 14 games, four times scoring 60.0% or more of its points in a game in the paint.
ABOUT FRESNO STATE
The Bulldogs enter the game off of a bye, and have lost their previous two games and three of the last four to Air Force, Colorado State and Nevada.
FS is averaging 64.3 ppg, led by Mia Jacobs at 18.3 ppg, and allowing 65.0 ppg.
Against MW opponents, they are scoring 64.4 points per game and allowing 66.9 with Jacobs scoring an average of 18.4 ppg. The Bulldogs are tied with the Lobos for third in the MW in three-pointers per game at 7.6 with Jacobs tied for second in the MW with 2.3 three-pointers per game on 36 three-pointers.