GUNNISON/GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team hits the road again this week as they will play against Western State Colorado University and No. 2 Colorado Mesa University.


Sitting just 1.5 games back of UC-Colorado Springs for the eighth and final RMAC Tournament spot, the Lady Mustangs (9-13, 6-11 RMAC) will look to make up some ground against Western State Colorado University and Colorado Mesa University.


On Friday night at 5:30 p.m. WNMU will battle the Mountaineers of Western State Colorado. WSCU (5-17, 5-12 RMAC) has lost 10 straight games with their last win coming against Colorado School of Mines on the road on Jan. 3. Jade McIntosh leads the way as she averages 15.7 points per game along with 5.6 rebounds. In the first meeting back on Dec. 14, the Mountaineers hit a late jumper and foul shots to defeat WNMU, 60-58.


WNMU will wrap up the trip on Saturday against No. 2 Colorado Mesa University at 5:30 p.m. The Mavericks (21-0, 17-0 RMAC) have continued to climb up the rankings, as they were No. 5 in the nation when the Lady Mustangs faced CMU back on Dec. 14 in Silver City. In that game, WNMU gave the top-ranked Mavs all they could handle before falling, 57-51. It was the first and is the only time so far this season that CMU has been held under 60 points.


Sharaya Selsor powers the Mavs tallying24.7 points per game, as she averages 37 minutes per contest. She has tied for or led the team in scoring in all but four games this year.


The Lady Mustangs will look to snap a three-game slide having narrowly lost at Adams State (56-52) this past Saturday. Junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) continues to lead the team in points per game (13.3), assists (102), steals (47), free throws (68) and field goals (101). Junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) is second in scoring (11.9), while pulling down 4.4 rebounds and has made 93 field goals. Junior guard Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) pours in another 11.7 per game, as she leads the team in three-pointers (42). Junior forward Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) leads the team in rebounds (8.5) and has nearly the identical average in terms of points (8.4).


When it comes to the rankings in the RMAC individually, Hernandez is fifth in rebounding (8.5) and tied for eighth in blocked shots per game (0.8). Mitchell is tied for fourth in three-pointers per game (2.2), seventh in three-point percentage (36.5), tied for sixth in assist to turnover ratio (1.2) and seventh in steals per game (1.8). Moore is in the top-ten in free throw percentage (80) coming in ninth. Newsome is third in assists per game (4.6).


As far as team stats in the RMAC, the Lady Mustangs are tied for third in field goal percentage defense (38.9), fifth in three-point percentage defense (31.2), fourth in free throw percentage (73.2), second in offensive rebounds (13.9), first in turnover margin (3.77), and second in steals (10.64).