NAPLES, Fla.— The Lobos rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against Cincinnati behind a Nayli Padilla floater and three-pointers from Joana Magalhães and Laila Abdurraqib that tied the game at 57 with 3:06 left, and a Padilla three-pointer gave UNM the 60-59 lead with 2:05 remaining, but ultimately fell 63-60.
Padilla scored a career- and game-high 19 points behind a career-high five three-pointers and career-high seven made field goals with Destinee Hooks also reaching double digits with 10 points. It was Padilla's fifth game finishing in double figures this season and the ninth game for Hooks. Defensively, Cacia Antonio and Emma Najjuma each finished with 11 rebounds, with Antonio nearly recording a double-double with eight points. For Najjuma, it marked consecutive games with double-digit rebounds and were season highs for both Najjuma and Antonio.
Each team scored on their first possessions of the game with Hooks making two free throws on UNM’s possession. A Padilla three gave UNM a 5-4 lead, but a 7-0 Bearcat run put the Lobos in an 11-5 deficit before a layup by Hooks closed the quarter with UNM trailing 11-7.
An offensive rebound and putback by Najjuma off of a Drew Jordon steal cut the margin to two, however, another 7-0 run stretched UNM’s deficit to nine at 18-9 less than two minutes into the second quarter. The Lobos pulled within six on three separate occasions in the quarter with the Bearcats responding each time to ultimately create an 27-16 lead with 1:39 left in the quarter. It was UNM's largest deficit of the game and the second-largest deficit faced by UNM this season.
Padilla’s second three-pointer of the game and an Alyssa Hargrove layup with three seconds remaining allowed UNM to get back into single digits at the break at 29-21.
The Lobos struggled from the floor in the first 20 minutes, shooting 20.0% as well as 20.0% from behind the arc, with Padilla accounting for both made three-pointers.
Five consecutive points from Padilla behind a layup and three-pointer pulled UNM within two at 33-31 2:45 into the third quarter, but Cincinnati scored the next four points to deter the Lobos from a chance to tie the game. Three Jordon free throws pulled UNM back within a possession at 37-34, but again UC answered to take a 42-34 lead. Padilla’s fourth three-pointer temporarily pulled UNM back within five before the Bearcats closed to take a 46-38 lead into the fourth quarter.
An Antonio layup opened the final quarter and two Hooks free throws kept the margin at six before the Bearcats pushed the deficit back to 10 with 8:16 remaining. A Hargrove corner three combined with a Najjuma layup cut the deficit in half at 52-47 less than a minute later.
Trailing 57-49, a Padilla floater started the 8-0 Lobo run that tied the game at 57 with 2:58 to play. UC took the 59-57 lead on a jumper with 2:32 left with Padilla hitting her fifth three-pointer 27 seconds later to give UNM its first lead since it was 5-4. A layup with 1:15 gave the Bearcats a one-point lead with the Lobos unable to answer on the other end. A Bearcat offensive rebound with six seconds left forced the Lobos to foul with UC making two free throws with three seconds left.
Hooks missed a three-pointer with a foul called on the rebound to give UNM another chance. Padilla had a good look at tying the game, but was unable to get it to fall for the final score.
Padilla scored 13 points in the final 20 minutes as UNM shot a game-high 57.1% in the fourth quarter with four three-pointers.
UNM finishes the Florida Gulf Classic 6-3 on the season and returns to the court on Dec. 7 at Arizona.