Lobo women host Wolf Pack for New Year's scuffle

The Nevada Wolf Pack thoroughly enjoyed its lone women’s basketball game in the Pit in 2024.

Lexie Givens capped a monster performance by converting a three-point play with 0.7 seconds left to give Nevada an 83-82 victory. Givens — the Wolf Pack’s leading scorer again this season — finished with 27 points.

Not surprisingly, New Mexico women’s team is looking to author a different storyline in 2025. The Lobos host Nevada for a New Year’s Day matinee on Wednesday and they would like nothing better than to get the year off to a winning start.

Job one, it might seem, would be to keep the 6-foot Givens under wraps. The senior forward is also Nevada’s leading rebounder and is typically a handful on the offensive boards, but she also torched UNM for five 3-pointers in last season’s nail-biter in the Pit.

“She killed us in that game,” Lobos coach Mike Bradbury said, “but she’s not the only one we have to worry about. (Audrey) Roden and (Izzy) Sullivan have had big games against us, too. Nevada has a really good roster.”

The Wolf Pack (6-8, 1-0) have been searching for a winning formula thus far this season, but Coach Amanda Levens’ teams typically find their form after the calendar flips to January. Nevada opened conference play with a home win over San Jose State and could make an early statement with another road win over UNM.

The Lobos (8-6, 1-0) have other ideas. Coming off a 69-63 road win over Air Force, New Mexico has won three of its last four games and appears to be settling into a rhythm.

Four players (Viané Cumber, Destinee Hooks, Hulda Joaquim and Joana Magalhães) scored in double figures against the Falcons. Joaquim posted a double-double with a career-best 16 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

“When we can get four or five players contributing like that, we can be tough to stop,” Bradbury said. “We need V (Cumber) and Destinee to score, but if we can get a few others involved on offense, it makes a big difference. And it doesn’t need to be the same players every game.”

Like Joaquim, Magalhães had a career high with 11 points against the Falcons, and the freshman appears to be gaining confidence as the season progresses.

Still, the biggest chink in UNM’s armor is ball security. Only Utah State has more giveaways than the Lobos’ 251 among Mountain West teams, and Bradbury knows opponents will continue to pressure the Lobos’ relatively inexperienced guard line. That includes Nevada.

“They are really good in transition and they play extremely fast,” he said of the Wolf Pack, “so getting back defensively is the biggest thing for us. Obviously, taking care of the ball is a big part of that and we’re working hard to improve in that area.”

LANGERMANN QUESTIONABLE: Sophomore guard Lara Langermann (knee inflammation) practiced on a limited basis Tuesday and is questionable for Wednesday’s game, Bradbury said. Langermann did not play at Air Force after sustaining the injury during UNM’s holiday break.

200 WATCH: Cumber’s four 3-pointers at Air Force gave her 197 in her UNM career. With three more she’ll become the fourth Lobo to hit 200 3s, joining LaTascya Duff (239), Katie Montgomery (221) and Amy Beggin (218).

HOLIDAY BARGAIN: Tickets for Wednesday’s New Year’s Day contest will be available for $2.25 at the Pit entrance.