PHOENIX (Interstat) — In a game defined by its final, frantic seconds, the New Mexico Lobos exacted a measure of revenge and halted a late rally by the Grand Canyon Antelopes to escape with a 70-68 victory in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday night at Grand Canyon University Arena.

The contest was a stark reversal of the teams’ meeting just over a month prior, when Grand Canyon secured a 75-62 win in Albuquerque. This time, the Lobos built a substantial early lead, watched it evaporate under a second-half barrage from the Antelopes, and ultimately made the necessary plays in the final minute to snap a two-game skid and improve to 18-9 overall. Grand Canyon fell to 9-17.

New Mexico established control from the opening tip, racing to a 21-13 lead after the first quarter behind efficient interior play. The Lobos’ dominance in the paint was a constant theme, as they finished with a 38-16 advantage in that category, powered by 15 offensive rebounds that led to numerous second-chance opportunities.

The Lobos extended their lead to 36-28 by halftime and still held a 55-48 edge entering the fourth quarter. However, the Antelopes, led by the dynamic guard duo of Casey Valenti-Paea and Chloe Mann, mounted a persistent comeback. Grand Canyon’s offense, which struggled early, found its rhythm from beyond the arc, hitting 9 of 29 three-point attempts. A 20-point fourth quarter, matching their third-quarter output, brought them all the way back.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final 25 seconds. With New Mexico clinging to a 64-62 lead, Lobos guard Joana Magalhães was called for an offensive foul, turning the ball over to Grand Canyon with a chance to tie or take the lead. The Antelopes, however, were whistled for a five-second violation on the ensuing inbounds play, a devastating turnover that returned possession to New Mexico with 24 seconds remaining.

Nayli Padilla was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to push the Lobos’ lead to 66-62. Grand Canyon’ Chloe Mann answered with two free throws of her own, cutting the deficit back to two with 12 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play, New Mexico effectively sealed the game. Magalhães received the pass, drove the length of the court, and finished a contested layup with just seconds remaining, assisted by Padilla, to make it 68-64.

Valenti-Paea was fouled on a desperate drive with one-tenth of a second left and made both free throws for the final margin, but New Mexico safely inbounded the ball to end the game.

Magalhães led the Lobos with 17 points and five assists, orchestrating the offense throughout her 29 minutes. Cacia Antonio added 14 points and Emma Najjuma provided a crucial interior presence with 12 points, many coming on put-backs from her team-high offensive rebounding.

Grand Canyon was led by Julianna LaMendola’s game-high 22 points. Valenti-Paea, from Melbourne, Australia, finished with 18 points and four assists, while Mann, of Fort Worth, Texas, filled the stat sheet with 17 points and eight assists.

Despite the loss, Grand Canyon edged New Mexico in offensive efficiency, posting a rating of 100.7 on 68 possessions compared to New Mexico’s 100.0 on 70 possessions. The Antelopes also took better care of the ball, committing only 11 turnovers to the Lobos’ 16. However, New Mexico’s overwhelming rebounding advantage, 15-7 on the offensive glass, and their interior scoring proved decisive in a game where both teams shot an identical 15 of 18 from the free-throw line.

The win keeps New Mexico in the upper tier of its conference as it prepares to host Air Force on Saturday. Grand Canyon will look to regroup at home against Utah State, also on Saturday.