TUCSON, Ariz.— The Lobos led for 34:40 and by as many as 11 in Sunday’s game at Arizona, capturing the 72-69 victory for their first win against the Wildcats since 2009.
UNM had three players finish in double figures, led by a season-high 16 from Alyssa Hargrove who made a career-high four three-pointers. Destinee Hooks extended her double-digit streak to 10 games behind 10 points and UNM received a season-high 13 points from Laila Abdurraqib off the bench, her fifth time leading the Lobos off of the bench, behind three, three-pointers. Making her first start as a Lobo, Emma Najjuma recorded a game-high 16 rebounds including six offensive rebounds, as UNM outrebounded Arizona 44-32, and blocked a game-high two shots.
After missing a three-pointer on their first possession of the game, the Lobos made five consecutive field goals with Cacia Antonio making two layups, Hargrove making a three-pointer as well as a layup and Hooks making a three-pointer to give UNM a 12-9 lead 3:16 in.
Arizona led 15-12 midway through the quarter before five consecutive points from Joana Magalhães put the Lobos in front and a Clarissa Craig offensive rebound and putback extended the run to seven. A Wildcat layup cut the lead to two before Nayli Padilla made a three-pointer, Kaia Foster made a jumper and Najjuma grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for two for another 7-0 run to extend UNM’s lead to nine at 26-17. Arizona closed the opening quarter with a basket with the Lobos ahead 26-19.
UNM outshot Arizona 61.1% to 38.1% in the first quarter on 11 made field goals and four three-pointers, led by five points from Hargrove and Magalhães. There were five lead changes and four ties in the first quarter with UNM leading for 5:48 of the quarter and Arizona 2:35.
Arizona pulled within three 2:10 into the second quarter at 29-26, but again, the Lobos responded with Hargrove making a three-pointer that started another 7-0 run that pushed the Lobo lead to 10 at 36-26 with 4:48 remaining in the quarter. Arizona cut the margin back down to three with Hargrove’s layup pushing the lead past a possession and two Abdurraqib free throws giving the Lobos a 40-34 lead. A 4-0 Wildcat run with 44 seconds left brought the margin to two with the Lobos holding a 42-39 lead at the break.
Hargrove added five points in the second to give her double digits at the half to lead all scorers with 10 points and had three assists and three rebounds.
The Wildcats scored the first five points of the third quarter to go in front 44-42 (their last lead of the game), with a Najjuma rebound and putback tying the game at 44, which also started a 6-0 Lobo run with Magalhães adding two baskets. An Abdurraqib three-pointer stretched the lead to seven at 53-46 with 4:30 left in the quarter, with the margin teetering between seven and five for the remainder of the quarter. The Lobos led 59-52 at the end of the third, with each team shooting 5-14 from the floor and UNM going 6-6 from the free-throw line.
Hooks opened the fourth quarter with an offensive rebound and layup before Arizona used a 6-0 run to cut the margin to three at 61-58 with 7:29 left in the game. However, an Abdurraqib three-pointer kept UNM in control, with the freshman adding a floater and Hargrove hitting another three-pointer to stretch the Lobo lead to the largest margin of the game at 11 points (69-58) with 4:58 to play. Arizona closed to within seven with 4:05 on the clock, with the next basket by either team not coming until 1:37 on the clock, a Hargrove three-pointer that made it 72-62.
A Wildcat three-pointer and four free throws cut the margin to three with 38 seconds left with Arizona having one last opportunity with three seconds left to tie the game that resulted in a turnover and a Lobo win.
Hargrove scored six points in the fourth quarter on two three-pointers and Najjuma was credited with five rebounds to give her 11 rebounds in the second half.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 7-3 on the season and close non-conference at home against Houston on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. MT.