PUEBLO/COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team closes the 2013 portion of their schedule this weekend when they play at CSU-Pueblo and UC-Colorado Springs.


CSU-Pueblo (7-3, 4-0 RMAC) is off to a hot start and are winners of four straight all in the conference defeating Adams State (77-44), Fort Lewis (78-73), Regis (89-80) and Metro State (57-50). All four were on the road, as their last home game took place on Nov. 16 against Oklahoma Christian when they came away with the 77-69 victory.


Paige Ramm leads four ThunderWolves averaging in double-figures with 13.1 per game. Taylor Fox posts 12.1 per contest and leads the team in rebounds with 7.1 per game. Dee Arrieta is averaging 11 points per game, while Alex Evans is at 10.9 per contest.


Last year, the Lady Mustangs came close to defeating CSU-Pueblo in Silver City before falling, 64-57. In the rematch in Pueblo the ThunderWolves won, 78-44.
WNMU and CSU-Pueblo will tip off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday night.


The next night WNMU will play at UC-Colorado Springs. The Mountain Lions hold a 2-6 overall record and 1-3 in the RMAC. They have lost two straight against Metro State (68-56) and Regis (84-75). Their conference win came at Adams State (72-54), as this will be their first home contest since Nov. 16 against California Baptist in which they won, 76-64.


Abby Kirchoff has led the team in all eight games in scoring, with a high mark of 28 that she has set three times. She averages 24.1 per game, along with leading the team in rebounds with 6.8 per night. Kellie Krueger is also in double-digits in scoring with 11 per game and she is second on the team in rebounding at 5.8 per game.


WNMU went to overtime with UCCS last season in Silver City before the Mountain Lions came away with the 80-73 victory. In the rematch in Colorado Springs UCCS won, 77-56.


WNMU and UCCS will begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday night.


The Lady Mustangs are 4-5 overall on the season and 1-3 in the RMAC after narrowly dropping a pair of games this past weekend at home against Colorado Mesa (57-51) and Western State (60-58). RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) leads three Lady Mustangs in scoring at 13.4 per night and 121 overall points. Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) averages more per night (14.4), but has played in one less game this season and has 115 overall points. Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) rounds out the trio in double-digit scoring at 10.1 per game. Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) leads the team in rebounds pulling down 7.9 caroms per night. Newsome also leads the team in assists (39) and steals (21), while Hernandez leads the team in blocks with seven.