ALBUQUERQUE N.M.— The Lobos led for a total of 34:41 of Monday morning’s season opener against Seattle and by as many as 11 at 62-51 with 7:36 remaining in the game, but failed to score in the final minutes in the 63-62 defeat.
Laila Abdurraqib recorded her first career double-double with a game-high 20 points to go with a career-high 10 rebounds, while also credited with three assists and two steals. UNM had a total of four players finish in double figures with Gracie Kelsey, Mila Rynolds and Kate Wernli each contributing 10 points. Kelsey was second on the team in rebounds with seven and led the game with three blocks blocks and Savannah Stricker led the Lobos with a game-high five assists.
After Seattle won the tip, a Drew Jordon held ball led to Kelsey putting Lobos on board on UNM first possession on a layup with the Lobos getting out to a 4-0 lead on an Abdurraqib steal and fast-break layup. The lead grew to six on a Kate Wernli corner three midway through the quarter before the Redhawks narrowed the margin to one at 16-15 with 1:05 remaining. However, a layup by Jordon and two free throws by Abdurraqib closed the quarter with UNM up 20-15.
The Lobos shot 70.0% from the floor in the first quarter, led by six points from Kelsey, with half the points coming in the paint.
A Kaie Duncan three-pointer to open the second quarter pushed the lead to eight with SU getting as close as five before a Jordon offensive rebound and layup and a Mila Reynolds layup provided the largest margin to that point of nine at 33-24 with 4:42 to go in the quarter. The lead held steady for the remainder of the quarter with UNM holding a 37-30 advantage at the break.
UNM outshot SU 42.1% to 26.3% in the second quarter with Reynolds scoring six points on 3-3 shooting and Kelsey blocking two shots.
Two Kelsey free throws less than a minute into the third quarter made it 39-32 before Seattle used a 9-0 run in third quarter that gave the Redhawks their first lead midway through the quarter with a Reynolds layup tying the game back up on UNM’s next possession. The two teams traded baskets with another tie at 43 before SU pulled ahead 47-43 with 4:17 left to play in the frame.
A Wernli layup followed by an Abdurraqib and-one put momentum back with the Lobos with an Abdurraqib steal and layup adding to a 7-0 Lobo run and UNM up 50-47. SU split a pair of free throws to end the run, with the Lobos extending the lead to seven on what amounted to a 12-1 run at 55-48 on an Abdurraqib layup off of a Jordon steal.
The Lobos led 55-50 at the end of the third behind nine points from Abdurraqib in the third quarter and five points from Wernli.
Following a Seattle free throw less than 20 seconds into the fourth quarter, an Abdurraqib offensive rebound and layup followed by an Abdurraqib three-pointer and Wernli jumper pushed UNM’s lead to the largest point of the game at 62-51.
The Redhawks cut it to one at 62-61 with 2:12 left before taking the lead with 1:31 to play. Out of a timeout, Kesley missed a layup with 15 seconds remaining with the ball staying with the Lobos. Wernli’s layup was blocked with eight seconds left with SU coming up with the ball and UNM immediately fouling to send SU to the line with five seconds left. SU missed both free throws with Kesley grabbing the rebound and calling UNM’s last timeout to advance the ball, and with 3.8 seconds left, Kelsey got the ball off the inbounds and missed the turnaround jumper as time expired.
UNM was held to seven points in the final quarter with Abdurraqib accounting for five of them.
The Lobos remain at home to host New Mexico Highlands Friday at 7 pm MT.