Seattle Basketball delivered a season-opening gut punch for the New Mexico Lobos, who led by as many as 11 points before falling 63-62 in Albuquerque N.M. on Monday morning. The headline performance belonged to Laila Abdurraqib, who produced her first career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but New Mexico could not finish after controlling most of the contest.
That is the part that will sting most for the Lobos. They were in front 20-15 after the first quarter, stretched the gap to 37-30 at halftime, and still led 55-50 after three quarters. Then, with 7:36 left in the fourth quarter, New Mexico pushed the margin to 62-51. From there, Seattle found a way back into a game that had looked settled.
How the final minutes turned
New Mexico still held a seven-point advantage late, but Seattle kept chipping away and eventually took its first lead midway through the third quarter before the game shifted again in the closing minutes. The decisive move came after the Lobos were up 62-51, when Seattle closed with enough pressure and poise to edge in front with 1:31 remaining. New Mexico had done much of the work for long stretches, but the final 1:31 belonged to Seattle.
The result was especially harsh because the Lobos had already shown they could control the game. They led for most of the morning, only to see that control slip away when the pace of the closing minutes changed. In a one-point game, every possession matters, and New Mexico simply could not secure the last one.
Abdurraqib leads the Lobos effort
Abdurraqib was the clear bright spot for New Mexico. Alongside her 20 points and 10 rebounds, she also added three assists and two steals, giving the Lobos a complete debut performance to build around. It was the kind of opening-night display that suggested she can be central to what New Mexico do next.
She was not alone in the scoring column, with four players reaching double figures for the Lobos. New Mexico also got 10 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and five assists from another contributor, while the team shot 70.0% in one stretch and still could not turn efficiency into a win.
There were signs of control and signs of fragility in the same game. New Mexico led by 16-15 at one point, then by 33-24, and later by 47-43 before Seattle's response gathered force. The numbers show a game that never fully settled, even when the Lobos looked comfortable.
For New Mexico, the lesson is simple: a strong opener can still end in disappointment if the finish is not clean. For Seattle, the comeback means the road win will be remembered for the final push rather than the early deficit. The Lobos now move on knowing they had the game in hand, then let it go in the final stretch.
