NAPLES, Fla. (Interstat) — The New Mexico Lobos women’s basketball team used a dominant first half to cruise past the Chicago State Cougars on Friday at the Florida Gulf Coast Classic Challenge, securing an 80-53 victory.

From the opening tip, New Mexico established control, building a 20-12 lead after the first quarter before unleashing a devastating 24-5 second-quarter run. The Lobos entered halftime with a commanding 44-17 advantage, effectively putting the game out of reach. Chicago State never recovered from the first-half deficit, despite outscoring New Mexico in the second half.

The Lobos’ defense was the story of the game, forcing a staggering 32 Chicago State turnovers. New Mexico converted those miscues into 26 points, while their aggressive defense also generated 19 steals. The Cougars struggled to find any offensive rhythm, finishing with an offensive rating of 59.1 points per 100 possessions, a stark contrast to New Mexico’s 93.5 rating.

Cacia Antonio led a balanced New Mexico scoring attack with 17 points in just 22 minutes of play. Drew Jordon added 16 points, while Destinee Hooks contributed 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Nayli Padilla chipped in 11 points and six rebounds.

Inside, the Lobos controlled the glass, with Emma Najjuma pulling down 10 rebounds and Jessie Joaquim adding six rebounds in only eight minutes of action.

For Chicago State, Kayla Mount was a bright spot, finishing with 15 points and eight rebounds. Tally Williams and Kyara Champagne each added five points for the Cougars, who shot just 20 of 60 from the field and a paltry 3 of 15 from three-point range.

The game was played in a neutral-site setting at Florida Gulf Coast University with an announced attendance of 60.

With the win, New Mexico improved its season record to 6-2. The Lobos are scheduled to face Cincinnati on Saturday in their second game of the Florida Gulf Coast Classic.

Chicago State fell to 1-6 with the loss. The Cougars will look to rebound against Pittsburgh on Saturday to conclude their play in the tournament.

The Lobos’ victory followed a pattern of strong defensive performances, having held their previous opponent, Tennessee-Martin, to 45 points in a win earlier in the week. Chicago State, meanwhile, continued to search for consistency after a difficult early-season schedule that included a lopsided loss to Notre Dame.