SILVER CITY/ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team will open the 2014-15 regular season Thursday night at home against the University of the Southwest out of Hobbs before concluding the week on Saturday at The Pit against Eastern New Mexico University.
The Lady Mustangs are coming off of an impressive 58-54 exhibition win over Division I Northern Arizona this past Sunday in which
Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) tallied 19 points in the victory. Prior to that win, WNMU had strong showings against Idaho State and Utah State.
Against Idaho State,
Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) led the way with 11 points, while Mitchell added 10. Mitchell also led the way against Utah State with 13 points.
On Thursday night at 6 p.m., WNMU will host the University of the Southwest. USW has already played six games going 0-6 having faced Johnson & Wales, Northern New Mexico, Wayland Baptist, Southwestern Assemblies of God, Texas Wesleyan and Sul Ross State.
Four players are averaging in double-figures led by 17 per game from Anitria Flowers. Cassandra Smith adds 14, Dorsheka Lopez with 10.7 and Amber Zubiate with 10.
WNMU won last year's matchup, 89-59, in Silver City.
Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) came off the bench to lead the team with 18 points, Mitchell added 11,
RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) and
Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School) also chipped in 10 apiece.
On Saturday at 4 p.m., WNMU will travel to Albuquerque to face Eastern New Mexico on the campus of the University of New Mexico inside The Pit. The Zias are 0-2 having lost a pair of close games against RMAC teams in Colorado Mines (60-58) and UC-Colorado Springs (62-59). They played one exhibition contest at UNM in which they fell by just 12, 61-49.
Tori Tucker leads the way averaging 18 points per game and six rebounds. Shayla Williams adds another nine points per contest. Jasmine Johnson leads the way in rebounds at 10.5 per game.
Last season, Newsome hit the game-winner to lead WNMU past ENMU, 68-65, in Portales.
Thursday's home game will have both live video and stats.
