Albuquerque, N.M. – The University of New Mexico Lobos women’s basketball team defeated the Air Force Falcons 73-53 Saturday at The Pit, completing a season sweep of their Mountain West Conference rivals. Four Lobos scored in double figures, led by Destinee Hooks and Nayli Padilla with 12 points each.
Jessie Joaquim added 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, securing her third double-double of the season. Laila Abdurraqib also contributed 11 points to the Lobos’ victory. Alyssa Hargrove led the team with five assists and three steals.
New Mexico controlled the game through rebounding, finishing with a 47-32 advantage over Air Force. The Lobos also dominated in the paint, outscoring the Falcons 38-14, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, 10-7. UNM’s bench contributed significantly with 35 points, compared to Air Force’s 21.
The Lobos started strong, opening the scoring with a basket from Drew Jordon and taking a 12-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. They continued to build their lead, outscoring Air Force 18-6 in the third quarter to secure a comfortable margin. UNM has now outscored opponents in the first quarter in 17 games this season and held opponents under 10 points in a quarter in 14 games.
Air Force struggled to find offensive rhythm, shooting just 29.0% from the field compared to New Mexico’s 48.3%. Milahnie Perry leads the Falcons with 17.6 points per game, but was held in check by the Lobos’ defense. Jayda McNabb, a key player for Air Force, contributes in multiple categories, including rebounds and steals.
With the win, New Mexico improves to 19-9 overall and 11-6 in Mountain West play, remaining in fifth place in the conference standings. Air Force falls to 12-14 overall and 6-10 in conference play. The Lobos will next travel to Utah State for a game on Wednesday.
