UNM WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lobos looking to gain ground on the road
UNM is 5th in MW standings with big games at Wyoming and Boise State on the horizon
Staying hot in the frozen northland — that's this week's objective for the UNM women's basketball team.
The Lobos, winners of three straight games, visit Laramie, Wyoming and Boise, Idaho this week for a pair of key Mountain West games. They'll travel to Idaho after Wednesday's game at Wyoming and take on Boise State on Saturday.
Oddly enough, it may not feel like a typical winter adventure. High temperatures in Laramie this week are expected to be in the mid-50s — unusual for early February.
Of more concern for the Lobos (15-7, 7-4) is extending their recent hot streak. UNM is battling for position in the Mountain West standings and starts its road trip in fifth place, one-half game behind Colorado State (8-4 MWC) and one game back of Boise State (8-3).
Can New Mexico continue to gain ground?
"I feel like we've been playing well the last three games," Lobos coach Mike Bradbury said. "We didn't shoot well against Utah State (a 58-33 home win on Saturday), but we moved the ball well, got the shots we wanted and played really good defense. We're making progress. We need to continue that and, hopefully, make a few more shots."
Better marksmanship would certainly be a plus for the Lobos in Laramie, where Wyoming typically is difficult to beat. The Cowgirls (8-13, 5-7) are rebuilding this season after losing six key seniors from a 2024-25 team that finished 22-12 and advanced to the WBIT. Still, UW is 7-3 at the Arena Auditorium, has won four of its last five overall and has made some adjustments since dropping a 62-48 battle Dec. 31 at the Pit.
"They're playing with more confidence," Bradbury said, "but the big thing is they're playing faster. Their offense still runs through (MWC leading scorer Malene) Pedersen, but their other guards have been more aggressive and they're moving the ball with more pace. It's been pretty effective, too."
Wyoming's offense has sputtered for most of the season, averaging a Mountain West-low 54.6 points per game. The Cowgirls have shot better at home, but they figure to be challenged by a New Mexico defense that limited Utah State to 28.3% shooting Saturday and allowed just 33 points — the fewest by a UNM opponent since 2016.
Laramie hasn't always been a pleasant winter destination for the Lobos, who are just 15-27 there all time. But UNM has more than held its own in Wyoming under Bradbury and has won four of its last six games there.
Destinee Hooks continues to lead the Lobos in scoring at 13.1 points per game, but she has not been the top scorer in any of UNM's last three games. Joana Magalhaes led the way with respective 29- and 15-point outings against Air Force and UNLV. Cacia Antonio scored a team-high 12 points against Utah State.
TOP FRESHMAN: UNM's Laila Abdurraqib didn't have her highest-scoring outings against UNLV and Utah State, but timely production helped her earn Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors. Abdurraqib scored 11 points versus the Rebels and just six against USU — both far off the season high of 25 points she racked up Jan. 7 at Colorado State.
But with UNM leading UNLV 55-50 midway through the fourth quarter, Abdurraqib scored eight consecutive points to give the Lobos a 63-50 lead and seal a victory. She also hit a key 3-pointer early in Saturday's fourth quarter to help spark a clinching 15-2 UNM run.
Abdurraqib, who has started just one game this season, ranks fourth overall in the MWC in 3-pointers made (42) and third in 3-pointers per game (2.1 in league play). She was also named Freshman of the Week on Dec. 8.
