USAFA, Colo.— Joana Magalhães scored a career-high 29 points behind a career-high five three-pointers and added four steals as New Mexico defeated Air Force 74-57 Saturday.
Of the 29 points, 13 came in the third quarter and nine in the fourth quarter as the Lobos outscored the Falcons 42-26 in the final 20 minutes. It was the second time leading the team in scoring and the fourth time reaching double figures, but the first time scoring over 20 points this season. Between the third and fourth quarters, Magalhães went 4-4 from three-point range and 7-10 from the floor to go with four steals. Additionally, the 29 points were the most points scored by an individual against Air Force this season.
Magalhães was joined in double figures by Destinee Hooks at 13 points.
Defensively, the Lobos tied their season high with 19 steals and forced 24 Air Force turnovers with Alyssa Hargrove credited with a game-high five steals, the 12th game with multiple steals and fifth game with three of more steals this season for the Lobo. Eight different Lobos recorded a steal with five players with multiple steals. UNM also registered seven blocks to tie its season high, with Kaia Foster leading with four blocks and Hargrove tying her career high with three.
Of note, UNM is now 9-0 when allowing 60 points or less and 10-1 when scoring 70 or more points.
Air Force made two three-pointers to take a 6-2 lead 1:40 into the contest, but the Lobos responded with a 5-0 run to take a 9-8 lead on a Foster three from the wing midway through the quarter. After a Falcon layup put AFA in front, Foster added a second three for the 12-10 Lobo lead with UNM extending the lead to six at 17-11 on a Magalhães layup and Hooks three. Air Force cut the lead in half with 23 seconds remaining before two Magalhães free throws closed the quarter.
The Lobos led 19-14 after the first quarter with the Lobos shooting 46.7% and Foster leading with six points and three blocks.
Air Force closed to tie the game at 21 with both teams trading threes for another tie at 24. A Laila Abdurraqib layup with 3:26 left in the second gave UNM a 27-26 lead with Air Force making two free throws before UNM used a 5-0 run to take the 32-28 lead. The Falcons closed the quarter with a three-pointer as UNM led 32-31 at the break.
Of the 32 points, 14 points came in the paint and 15 points coming from the bench, with the Lobos led by seven points from Magalhães.
The Lobos scored the first eight points behind two three-pointers by Magalhães and a layup from Hooks to extend the lead to 40-31 less than two minutes into the third quarter with the Falcons closing to within four midway through the quarter. Four consecutive points from Magalhães and a Hooks layup pushed the margin to double digits at 48-38 with 3:49 left with the Lobo lead holding at 10 (55-45) at the end of the quarter.
Magalhães went 4-4 from the floor, 3-3 from three-point range in the third for 13 points with Hooks adding eight and Hargrove two as UNM outscored AFA 23-14. UNM shot 60.0%, created seven steals in the third quarter with Jessie Joaquim, Hooks and Hargrove each credited with two.
A 7-0 run in the fourth quarter extended the Lobo lead to 15 points and UNM later went on a 9-1 run to push the lead to its largest point at 21 points, 73-52. Magalhães accounted for seven of UNM’s points in the 9-1 run with Joaquim making two free throws. The Falcons closed the gap to 16 with 34 seconds left before Drew Jordon split a pair of free throws for the final point of the game and the 17-point victory.
UNM added five steals in the final quarter with Magalhães credited with three of them and Padilla and Hargrove one apiece.
In the final two quarters, UNM shot 51.9% and 45.5% from three-point range, and had 12 steals and four turnovers compared to 14 turnovers and one steal for the Falcons.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 13-7 on the season, 5-4 in conference and return home to begin a two-game homestand starting with UNLV on Jan. 28.