ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos return to the road to face Grand Canyon on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. MT.
While it will be the third meeting between the Lobos and the Lopes, Wednesday will be the first game of the series played in Phoenix.
UNM is 1-1 all-time against GCU with GCU winning the first game of the season 75-62 in The Pit.
In the first game back on Jan. 17, Destinee Hooks led the Lobos with 17 points and Jessie Joaquim tallied a double-double with a balanced 12 points and 12 rebounds in her first start of the season. UNM had 23 bench points with Nayli Padilla leading with eight points, and created 14 steals with Padilla leading with four.
FAST START
UNM is outscoring opponents 415-333 (+82) in the first quarter, 450-394 (+56) in the second quarter and 865-727 (+138) in the first 20 minutes.
In the conference opener, the Lobos scored the first 14 points against Boise State with six different Lobos contributing to the points, and against Wyoming, the Lobos scored the first 10 points of the game. Against UNLV, the Lobos built a 13-2 lead behind a 10-0 run with the Lobos making five of their first seven shots. Against Utah State, the Lobos used a 9-0 run to lead 9-2 and closed the first quarter on a 6-0 run to build a 12-point lead.
Further, UNM held Wyoming (5), Boise State (4), San José State (4), Nevada (9), UNLV (9) and Utah State (7) to single digits in the first quarter and held San José State (8), Colorado State (2) and Wyoming (8) to single digits in the second quarter.
WIN THE QUARTER
The second quarter is UNM’s largest quarter for point production at 450 points, followed by the fourth quarter (437 points), with the first quarter the largest margin of +82.
UNM has outscored its opponent in the first quarter 15 times, the second quarter in 12 games this season, the third quarter 14 times and the fourth quarter 15 times.
The Lobos have also held their opponent below 10 points in a quarter in 13 games this season (five in the fourth quarter against NAU, five in the second quarter against Chicago State, four in the second quarter against NMSU, seven in the second quarter against UTM, nine in the fourth quarter against Houston, four in the first quarter against Boise State, five in the first quarter against Wyoming and seven in the fourth quarter against Wyoming, four in the first quarter at San José State and eight in the second quarter at San José State, two in the second quarter at Colorado State, nine in the first quarter against Nevada, nine in the first quarter against UNLV, seven in the first quarter against Utah State, as well as nine points in the third and six points in the fourth quarter, and eight in the second quarter at Wyoming). The Lobos held the Cowgirls to single digits in two quarters in the first meeting, the first time doing it twice in a game this season, and repeated it the next game against San José State. Against Utah State, the Lobos held the Aggies to single digits in three quarters.
Six times, the Lobos have held their opponent below 20 points at the half: 19 points (Wyoming), 18 points (Utah State), 12 points (San José State), 15 points (New Mexico State), 17 points (Chicago State) and 18 points (UT Martin).
UNM is 13-2 when leading after the first quarter, 16-1 when leading at the half and 15-1 when leading after the third quarter.
OWN THE BOARDS
The Lobos lead the MW in offensive rebounds per game (13.2), rebounding margin (+4.7) and rebounding offense (39.4). UNM is 73rd in the NCAA in rebound margin as well as 77th in rebounds per game and 85th in offensive rebounds per game.
UNM has outrebounded its opponent in 16 games and is 15-1 when doing so (San Diego State was lone loss when outrebounding opponent).
As a team, UNM had a season-high 58 against San José State with the largest rebounding margin against UT Martin (+35). Of note, the 58 rebounds are the most in a game amongst MW teams this season. UNM is led by Jessie Joaquim at 166, followed by Emma Najjuma at 155.
SHARE THE WEALTH
In 15 of UNM’s wins, the Lobos have had three or more players score in double figures. Five times (UT Martin, New Orleans, Chicago State, Houston and Boise State), the Lobos have had four players reach double digits. UNM had a season-best five reach double figures at San José State. Only at UNLV and against Colorado State has UNM had three players score in double figures and lost, and only at Air Force and against Utah State has UNM had two players finish in double figures and won.
Ten different Lobos have scored 10+ points in a game, led by Destinee Hooks with 22, followed by Cacia Antonio (12), Nayli Padilla (10) and Laila Abdurraqib (9). Alyssa Hargrove has scored in double figures in eight games, Joana Magalhães in six games, Drew Jordon and Jessie Joaquim in two games and Clarissa Craig and Kaia Foster once.
UNM has also had nine different leading scorers in a game with Hooks leading in eight games, Antonio in four, Padilla in four, Magalhães in three, Abdurraqib and Hargrove in two and Joaquim and Craig in one game each. Foster tied Antonio for the team lead in one game.
The Lobos are 7-1 when Hargrove reaches double figures, 8-1 when Abdurraqib scores double figures, 9-3 when Antonio reaches double figures, 7-3 when Padilla does and 5-1 when Magalhães reaches double figures.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
GCU is 9-16 on the season, 8-7 in conference play and is 3-2 in its last five games with wins over Utah State, Wyoming and San Diego State and losses to Air Force and UNLV.
The Lopes are led by Chloe Mann, averaging 12.9 points per game, and Julianna LaMendola, who is averaging 11.2 points per game. In addition, LaMendola is leading the team with 6.4 rebounds per game and 19 blocks with Mann leading with 76 assists.
As a team, GCU is averaging 65.2 points per game on the season, allowing 67.4 points per game. Against Mountain West opponents, the Lopes are scoring 66.5 points per game and giving up 63.9 points per game, led by 13.1 points per game by LaMendola and 10.9 points per game by Mann. LaMendola is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game with a team-high 13 blocks and Mann leads with 51 assists. LaMendola is also second amongst MW players in field-goal percentage (48.4%).
GCU leads the MW in overall rebounding defense with 33.0 and is second in free-throw percentage at 75.8%, going 310-409 from the line. In conference games, GCU is third in rebounding defense (33.3), rebounding margin (+4.5) and blocks per game (3.5). Further, the Lopes are fourth in scoring offense and field goal percentage (40.2%) and second in free-throw percentage (77.5%).