Round one between the UNM and UNLV women’s basketball teams for 2022 lived up to its billing and then some.
LaTora Duff landed the knockout punch — a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds remaining — and the Lobos pulled out a 71-68 victory in a battle between two of the Mountain West Conference’s top teams Monday night at the Pit.
UNLV (10-4, 2-1) led most of the way but could not fight off a furious fourth-quarter rally by UNM (11-4, 2-0). Shaiquel McGruder racked up 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Lobos, but the shot of the night unquestionably belonged to Duff, who was 0-for-3 from beyond the arc before her dagger from just left of the key.