LARAMIE, Wyo.— The Lobos completed the season sweep of Wyoming on Wednesday with a 58-51 win behind three players in double figures and 29 points from the bench.
It marks the second time in the last three years that the Lobos have swept the Cowgirls (2023), the sixth win over Wyoming in the last seven games in the series and the fifth win in the last seven games played in Laramie. In addition, it was the 12th time the Lobos have held an opponent below 60 points, going 12-0 in such instances (7-0 in conference).
Nayli Padilla led the Lobos for the fourth time this season with 13 points off of the bench making three three-pointers, eight of which came in the third quarter and a three-pointer with 1:21 left in the game to seal the win. Laila Abdurraqib added 12 points off of the bench, shooting 5-9, with five points in the first quarter to pace the Lobos and five points in the third quarter. Destinee Hooks rounded out the Lobos in double figures, scoring 11 points with nine coming in the first 20 minutes.
The Lobos led for 32:07 of the contest and had the edge in rebounds (34-28), steals (6-4), points in the paint (26-20), points off turnovers (14-11) and bench points (29-18)
UNM scored the first five points of the game on a Jessie Joaquim layup and three-pointer by Hooks before Wyoming scored on three consecutive possessions to take a 7-5 lead. An Abdurraqib three-pointer restored the Lobo lead with Wyoming making a layup and each team trading baskets for the 11-10 Wyoming lead at the end of the first.
There were five lead changes in the first quarter with the Lobos leading for 4:39 and Wyoming for 4:54, led by five points from Abdurraqib.
A Cacia Antonio steal to start the second led to an Emma Najjuma layup to push the Lobos in front with Wyoming taking the lead right back on a three-pointer. However, Hooks scored the next six points for the Lobos on a three-pointer and an and-one that put the Lobos in front for good at 18-14. The Lobos held the Cowgirls 5:55 without a point, building a 20-14 lead on an 8-0 run capped by a Najjuma layup. UNM continued to expand its lead with an Antonio three and floater from Padilla that made it 25-16 Lobos.
Joana Magalhães scored the final four points in the final 36 seconds of the second quarter to give UNM its largest lead of the game at that point of 10 at 29-19 at the break.
UNM outscored Wyoming 19-8 in the quarter, shooting 57.1% from the floor and scoring 12 of its points in the paint and nine points off of six Wyoming turnovers. It marked the 13th game this season that the Lobos have held an opponent below 10 points in a quarter and the sixth time holding an opponent below 20 points at the half
The Cowgirls opened the third on a 7-2 run to cut the margin to five midway through the quarter with the gap closing to four at 33-29 with 4:37 left. UNM answered with a 13-0 run that included two Padilla three-pointers and an Abdurraqib three-pointer that stretched UNM’s lead to 17 at 46-29 with 1:49 left in the third quarter with UNM making six consecutive field goals. Wyoming ended the run with a free throw and three-pointer with UNM holding a 46-33 lead at the end of the third.
Following a Cowgirl three-pointer 16 seconds into the fourth quarter, baskets by Antonio and Joaquim extended the Lobo lead to 14 with the Cowgirls cutting it down to eight with 2:44 left in the game. A Padilla three-pointer pushed the lead back to double figures at 58-47 with 1:21 left, which kept the Cowgirls from mounting a late run even though they scored the final four points of the game.
Padilla scored 11 points between the third and fourth quarters, going 4-5 from the floor and 3-4 from three-point range.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 16-7 (8-4 in conference) and have won their last four games. UNM remains on the road, heading to Boise State to face the Broncos on Saturday.