Following their road victory in Colorado against the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team returned to The Pit and won 68-57 against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Lady Rebels to start this two-game homestand.
This was the second meeting of these teams, with the first coming on Jan. 12, 2025, a game in which the Rebels emerged victorious over the Lobos. Much like the previous matchup, the Lobos got on the board first from a three by guard Destinee Hooks.
That shot is what started the scoring in a first quarter that had the Lobos off to a hot start — the only difference this time around was the Lobos wouldn't look back. They ended the first quarter with a 20-9 lead, after an opening period where the Lobos looked very strong defensively holding the Rebels to just three of 12 from the field.
The second quarter was much more competitive, with the two teams trading blows and the Rebels outscoring the Lobos 15-13 as they tried to creep back in the game. Guards Joana Magalhães and Drew Jordon combined for nine of the Lobos 13 points in the quarter, with five points and four points, respectively, as they kept the Rebels at bay.
Coming out of halftime, the third quarter followed a similar script. Magalhães was at the center of the action yet again, as the Lobos eventual scoring leader was fouled by Rebel forward Shelbee Brown at the end of the period. Magalhães went to the line and made both free throws to make it a seven point game heading into the final stanza.
Those free throws to end the third accounted for half of the Lobos free throw attempts for the whole game, shooting just four free throws to the Rebels' 16. However, it seemed to spark the Lobos to outscore the Rebels in a quarter for the first time since the first, finishing out the game outscoring UNLV 17-13 in the fourth quarter.
The exclamation was when Hooks hit her second three-pointer with just a few seconds left to ice the game and lead to a 68-57 final score.
“The way we’re playing, everyone has a lot of chances to score and if you have the chance to score, go score, and I feel like I had a lot tonight,” Magalhães said.
There is a lot to be said of the offensive performance the Lobo guards put on against UNLV, but their perimeter defense was just as crucial in this win. They held the Lady Rebels to just four of 15 from beyond the arc.
“There was a concerted effort there since they went 16 for 26 the last time they played us,” Lobo Head Coach Mike Bradbury said.
The Lobos don’t plan to dwell on this win for long as they look ahead to their upcoming game against the Utah State Aggies, Saturday, Jan. 31.
“By the time I get in my car, I’m done with this one, I’m onto Utah State, the last time we beat somebody at the top we lost three in a row and that won’t happen again,” Bradbury said.
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Marley Herndon is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @Dailylobo
