RENO, Nev. --- Cacia Antonio came up aces in Reno, hitting a team-high 18 points, including a crushing spin move in the lane to give UNM a 59-56 lead late as New Mexico picked up a 63-56 win, UNM's fourth in a row, clinching no worse than fifth place in the Mountain West.
The win was also the ninth in the last 11 games for UNM, and it sets up a situation where UNM clinches a first-round bye in the Mountain West Tournament with a win over Fresno State on Tuesday night at 7 pm on Senior Night.
Antonio's 18 points were her second-best output of the season, only behind a 22-point effort against UNLV, UNM's only other game in the state of Nevada this season. She was one rebound shy of her first double-double.
UNM trailed at the break 34-32, and the Lobos trailed throughout most of the third quarter, but UNM took the lead for good at the 2:56 mark when Nayli Padilla hit a turn-around jumper after a pair of offensive rebounds to give UNM its first lead in nearly 12 minutes at 45-44.
UNM opened up that lead to 51-47 at the third-quarter break before a low-scoring, defensive fourth quarter saw UNM outscore Nevada 12-9.
Up 57-49 with 6:14 to go after Antonio cashed in two free throws, Nevada went on a 6-0 run to close within two at 57-55. Antonio then unleashed a devastating spin in the lane, hitting a spinning jumper from 8-feet for a 59-55 lead, and Nevada would only get a free throw the rest of the way.
UNM's defense was big in the fourth with Joana Magalhães picking up a key steal up 59-56 with 31.4 left. Destinee Hooks, who scored 13, added two free throws, and then Alyssa Hargrove added the final two with 8.6 to go to account for the final margin.
The Lobos, outrebounded by Nevada in the first meeting 42-30, turned the tables, outrebounding and outhustling Nevada 36-30 on the glass, and picking up nine steals.
NOTES: The Lobos, which have had three perfect games at the free throw line this season, went 15-for-16, tying for their most free throws made in a game since making 20 against New Orleans on November 12.