ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Aggies and Lobos are poised to meet this weekend for the only time in the 2023-24 regular season. Jody Adams' squad will take the 225-mile trip north up I-25 to The Pit, where they will take on their in-state rivals for the first time in 353 days. NM State (4-2) is riding a four-game winning streak, including a perfect weekend in Brooklyn during the LIU Classic. New Mexico is 5-2 on the young season and are undefeated in four home games.
2022-23
The state's two Division-I institutions squared off twice a year ago. In Jody Adams' first year as head coach, she welcomed UNM for just her second game in the Pan American Center. The Aggies got out to a blazing hot start, winning the first quarter 20-2. The Aggie lead was 17 entering the fourth quarter, before the Lobos dropped 30 in just 10 minutes to force overtime. NM State held on in the extra period, thanks to six points from Molly Kaiser in the frame. The 73-64 win snapped the program's eight-game losing streak against the Lobos.
Less than four weeks later, the two sides clashed a second time, and the home team came out on top once again. UNM got their revenge in a closely contested battle from The Pit. Despite outsourcing the Lobos by eight in the second half, a Kaiser jumper missed the mark at the buzzer and sent the Aggies home with a 65-64 loss.
Scouting the Lobos
New Mexico is led by Head Coach Mike Bradbury, who has a career record of 324-197. In his eight seasons with the Lobos, Bradbury has a 146-80 record and five WNIT appearances. Last season, UNM finished 21-13 with a 12-6 mark in Mountain West play. Back in October, UNM was projected to finish sixth in the Mountain West Preseason Poll. The Lobos are out to a 5-2 start in 2023-24, most recently coming off a three-point comeback victory over Eastern Illinois in overtime.
The Lobos have trotted out the same starting five for all seven games this season. Nyah Wilson, Vianè Cumber, Aniyah Augmon, Paula Reus and Charlotte Kohl have been the first on the floor every time, and have played 78.8% of the available minutes on the campaign.
On the offensive end, things flow through Nyah Wilson, a junior guard who transferred from Syracuse in the 2023 offseason. Wilson leads the Lobos with 15.7 points per game, due in part to her 81.8 free-throw percentage on a team-high 44 attempts.
Vianè Cumber is the go-to option when it comes to long-range looks. The 5-foot-10 junior has taken 61 three-pointers this season, while the rest of the team has combined for 95. Cumber's 36.1% clip from beyond the arc is the best on the team among players with at least five attempts. Having taken 35 shots inside the line, her 96 field goal attempts also lead all Lobos.
Aniyah Augmon is a metaphorical Swiss army knife that does it all for UNM. The junior guard is second on the team in minutes per game (34.8), third in points per game (12.7), second in field goal percentage among players with at least 10 attempts (40.9), tied for second in rebounds per game (5.7) and leads the team with 4.4 assists per game.
Where the Aggies Stand
After dropping the first two games of the season, NM State has won four in a row. In that time, three wins have come away from the Pan American Center, including a 2-0 Thanksgiving weekend in New York.
The Aggies have been a force defensively, holding teams to just 53.7 points per game. That mark ranks best in CUSA, as no other team has averaged less than 60.0. NM State ranks 33rd in the country in scoring defense as of Wednesday, Nov. 29. The Aggies also rank 35th in the nation, holding opponents to just 23.8% on three point shots.
In the Nov. 24 win over Hampton, leading scorer Molly Kaiser poured in a season-low nine points. However, the team scored a season-high 78 points, including 42 off the bench. Jaila Harding was responsible for a majority of those bench points, canning six threes en route to a 22-point effort.
Rivalry Day
The Pit will also host a men's basketball game against NM State on Saturday. After not playing head-to-head in 2022-23, the Aggies and Lobos are scheduled to tip off at 7:00 PM from Albuquerque.
How to Follow
The game will be streamed live on Mountain West Network, a free service. Additionally, stats can be followed via StatBroadcast.
For complete coverage of NM State Women's Basketball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateWBB), Instagram (@NMStateWBB) and like us on Facebook (NM State Women's Basketball). You can also follow along with Aggie Women's Basketball via NMStateSports.com.
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