ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos scored the first six points of Thursday’s game against UT Martin and never trailed in the 77-45 win to extend their win streak to four games. Coincidentally, that also was the final of UNM’s last game at New Mexico State.
In the four games, UNM has outscored its opponents by a +26.3 margin, averaging 81.0 points per game and allowing 54.8 points per game, shooting 46.2%, averaging 13.0 steals per game and a +15.5 rebounding margin (44.0-28.5).
Four Lobos reached double figures on Thursday against the Skyhawks, led by a game-high 15 from Destinee Hooks and 11 points for Alyssa Hargrove, Cacia Antonio and Laila Abdurraqib, who again led the Lobos off the bench with a season-best 11 points. Hooks has scored in double figures in all six games, Hargrove and Antonio for the third time and the first time for Abdurraqib.
UNM had a 25-11 advantage in points from the bench, 20-3 in fast-break points, 21-2 in second-chance points and 20-12 in points off turnovers. The Lobos also held the edge on the boards by a +35 margin (56-21), the first time since 2021 that UNM has recorded 20 offensive rebounds. Jessie Joaquim led with a game- and season-high 10 rebounds, four on the offensive end.
The Lobos also tied their season high with 10 three-pointers with Hargrove and Abdurraqib making three each.
UNM scored the first six points on two free throws by Antonio and layups by Joana Magalhães and Clarissa Craig before UT Martin scored its first points 4:21 into the game after missing its first four shots. Three-pointers by Hargrove and Abdurraqib extended the lead to 10 at 12-2 before the Skyhawks used a 7-0 run to cut the margin to three with 2:54 left in the quarter.
Free throws by Hooks pushed the lead past a possession and a last-second layup by Craig gave UNM a 16-11 lead after the first.
Hargrove opened the second with a three-pointer, and while UT Martin pulled within five twice, the Lobos closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 14 at 32-18 at the half. For consecutive games, the Lobos held their opponent to below 10 points, and to below 20 points in the first 20 minutes as UT Martin scored seven points in the second and 18 in the first half.
Antonio led all scorers with nine points at the half, seven of which came in the second quarter.
A block by Craig on the opening possession of the third quarter led to a Magalhães layup to extend the run and the lead, which continued on a feed inside by Hooks to Craig for a layup and a Hargrove three-pointer for a 7-0 run (ultimately a 16-0 run between the second and third) in the first 1:40 and 21-point lead of 39-18.
The margin continued to grow on another 9-0 run that extended the lead to 28 at 48-20 with 5:41 remaining in the third, with the lead holding around the 20 range through the rest of the third. A steal and fast-break layup by Antonio in the final four seconds of the quarter allowed UNM to hold a 60-34 lead at the end of the third.
Hooks scored nine of UNM’s 28 points in the third on 4-5 shooting as UNM outscored UT Martin 28-16 with 11 points coming on fast breaks.
A basket by UT Martin opened the fourth before another 7-0 run with a three-pointer from Nayli Padilla, three free throws from Drew Jordon and a free throw by Padilla pushed the lead to 30 points at 66-36. A Skyhawk layup stopped the run, although a three from Abdurraqib and Joaquim free throw pushed the margin to UNM’s largest lead of 33 (71-38) with 4:47 to play. UT Martin made two more field goals and UNM added three points at the free throw line with Leonor Peixinho and Abdurraqib accounting for the final points for the 32-point final margin.
UNM outscored UT Martin 45-27 in the final 20 minutes.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 5-1 on the season and remain at home to face Texas Tech on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Altitude.