Who: No. 14 Arizona (6-0) vs. New Mexico (4-3)
Where: Dreamstyle Arena (aka The Pit), Albuquerque
When: 1 p.m.
TV: Mountain West Network (streaming)
Radio: 1400-AM
Probable starters
ARIZONA
G Helena Pueyo (6-0 senior)
G/F Jade Loville (5-11 senior)
F Esmery Martinez (6-2 senior)
F Lauren Fields (5-9 senior)
F Cate Reese (6-2 senior)
NEW MEXICO
F Shaiquel McGruder (6-0 senior)
G Amaya Brown (5-1 sophomore)
F Paula Reus (6-1 sophomore)
G LaTascya Duff (5-7 senior)
G LaTora Duff (5-7 senior)
Key players
New Mexico β Shaiquel McGruder
McGruder is coming off her best season as a Lobo, averaging 14.2 points while shooting 61% from the field and collecting 258 rebounds, 49 blocks and 66 steals. She all named to the all-Mountain West Team and All-MWC Defensive Team. In the early part of this season, the 6-foot forward is averaging 14 points per game, has 17 steals and 20 blocks.
Arizona β Maya Nnaji
Nnaji is coming off a perfect 7 for 7 from the field scoring day, finishing with 17 points in a win over USD. She even made her first 3-point attempt of the season. The freshman has been efficient across all five games sheβs played, going 17 for 24 and shooting 71% from the field β a figure that ranks second in the Pac-12 behind teammate Helena Pueyoβs 72%. Nnaji also has five blocks and three steals.
Matchup history
Arizona is 14-9 against New Mexico, having won four straight. In the very first season UA was a charter member of the AIAW, the Wildcats crushed the Lobos, 73-36. The last time New Mexico beat Arizona was on Dec. 9, 2009. The Wildcats won last seasonβs game, 77-60.
She said it
βNew Mexico has won their last three and are gaining momentum after a tough OT loss to (our) rival ASU. They have three starters back that have double-digit scoring power. We must limit their transition opportunities and defend the 3-point line well. The Pit is one of the toughest places to play in college basketball and we are excited for another opportunity to compete.β β UA assistant coach Erin Grant, who scouted the Lobos
Sidelines
Twins times two
This is the second time in three weeks that UA is facing twins. Arizona held NAU sophomores Nyah and Olivia Moran to 12 combined points in the teamsβ Nov. 10 opener. Now theyβll face UNMβs LaTascya and LaTora Duff, both 5-foot-7-inch guard. LaTascya and LaTora Duff, who transferred to New Mexico from Shelton State after their sophomore years, are both averaging exactly 13 points per game.
Playing at the Pit
Only one current Wildcat, Jade Loville, has experience playing New Mexico at The Pit. The arenaβs court is built a little more than 37 feet below street level, which gives a totally different feel for the players.
βYouβre in that little rectangle but then the pit is higher than you so it feels like everyoneβs kind of just looking down, and itβs fun to play in,β said Loville, who played at The Pit in her sophomore season at Boise State. ββ¦ itβs going to be fun to have that challenge on the road and have the other teamβs fans looking at us instead of our fans just cheering us on.β
Fun facts
Arizona: Former UA standout Davellyn White lost to New Mexico her freshman year. She didnβt let that happen again. Over the next three years, Whyte put up a combined 64 points and 18 rebounds in three Wildcats wins. ... Current UA assistant Erin Grant spent three seasons (2012, 2017-18) on the UNM staff.
New Mexico: The Lobos are 0-2 in overtime games this season, losing 73-64 to New Mexico State and 83-77 to ASU in back-to-back games. ... Amaya Brownβs dad, Greg, led the Lobos to two consecutive NCAA berths, won WAC Player of the Year and Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award for the top seniors under 6-feet tall.
Numbers game
4 β Arizona forward Esmery Martinez has won the gold jersey four times already this season. The jersey is given to the top practice player every week.
5 β Steals for Madi Conner through the first six games. The Arizona guard had 16 all last season.
2 β Two players from the Adia Barnes coaching era are high school coaches. LaBrittney Jones is an assistant at DeSoto (Texas) and Brea Workman is an assistant at Las Vegas Centennial, her alma mater.
β PJ Brown
