Longest Trip of the Season Awaits Women’s Basketball

SAN ANGELO/KINGSVILLE, Texas – The long trek into Texas begins this week for the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team as they will travel to Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville for a pair of Lone Star Conference matches.

WNMU (4-11, 0-8 LSC) will try to snap a 10-game losing streak, but it won't be easy. Nationally-ranked Angelo State is up first and a much-improved Javelina team awaits on Saturday.

Senior guard Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley ) continues to keep her name up with the top in the conference. She is currently second in scoring averaging 17.5 points per game. She continues to lead the conference in minutes per game at 37.2, with the next closest at 31.9. Gutierrez also checks in sixth in steals per game (1.9), eighth in assists per game (3.3), fifth in free throw percentage (79.3) and eighth in both field goal percentage (33) and three point field goals per game (1.8). Nationally she is sixth in minutes played per game, 22^nd in field goal attempts (251), 44^th in free throws made (69), 54^th in points per game, 62^nd in free throw attempts (87) and 88^th in minutes played (558).

Sophomore forward Megan Looney (Phoenix, AZ/Apache Junction ) has been near the top in the conference in terms of rebounds and recently added her third double-double of the season and scored a career-high 21 points against Cameron. She is fifth in the conference in rebounds per game at 7.3 and third in offensive rebounds per game at 3. She ranks 80^th nationally in that category. Looney has led the team in rebounding in the past four games. She is third on the team in scoring at 7.1 per game and is shooting a team-best 68 percent from the field. Junior guard/forward Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani ) is second on the team in scoring at 10.1 per game, she also brings down 4.1 rebounds, two blocks and 14 steals.

As a team, WNMU averages 59 points per game and allow nearly 72 points, they make 34 percent from the field and allow 42 percent. The Lady Mustangs rank in the top-five in the conference in several categories including first in free throw percentage (74.7), good for 36^th nationally, second and 28^th nationally in fewest turnovers (209), second and 33^rd nationally in turnovers per game (13.9), third and 70^th nationally in fewest fouls (254), third and 85^th nationally in personal fouls per game (16.9), third and 72^nd nationally in turnover margin (2.40), fourth in three point field goals attempted (284) and fifth and 100^th nationally in three point field goal defense (29.5).

WNMU will be tasked with facing No. 11 ranked Angelo State on Thursday night starting at 5:30 p.m. Central Time. The Rambelles are 13-1 overall and 7-1 in the conference, currently second in the conference standings to Eastern New Mexico. The one and only loss of the season came this past Thursday when they lost on the road at West Texas A&M (61-68). They hold a 4-0 record at home this season.

Angelo State is the highest-scoring team in the LSC at 80.8 points per game and they are sixth-best in scoring defense allowing 65.9 points per game. Their scoring margin of 14.9 is second only to West Texas A&M. Taylor Dorsey not only paces the team at 19.1 points per game, but that also leads the conference. She has started every game this season and is shooting 49 percent, bringing down 4.3 rebounds, 61 assists and 35 steals. She is second in the conference in assists per game and leads the LSC in steals per game. Jasmine Prophet helps form a formidable one-two punch as she averages 13.3 points per game, having played in all but one game this season. She also brings down a team-high 6.9 rebounds and has 18 blocks. Prophet is seventh in rebounding, second in shooting percentage (56) and leads the conference in blocked shots per game (1.4). Angelo State also has two players averaging around eight points a game in Lexi Murphy (8.6) and Christina Robinson (8.1), both have played in every game this season. The Rambelles shoot well from the field connecting on 44 percent and allow 39 percent.

The Lady Mustangs will then close the weekend on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. Central Time against Texas A&M-Kingsville. The women's game will be played after the men's game on Saturday. It's been a turnaround season for the Javelinas, a team that went 5-21 and 0-16 in the conference a year ago has already eclipsed those numbers this year going 8-6 overall and 3-5 in the circuit. They are 4-3 at home this season and split their games this past week defeating UT Permian Basin (70-66) before falling to West Texas A&M (50-73). Their last home game on Jan. 7, they fell just short in overtime to Tarleton State, 59-62.

Texas A&M-Kingsville is just ahead of WNMU in scoring offense at 62.4 per game, while their defense is second-best in the LSC allowing just 61.6 points per game. They connect on 37 percent from the field, just ahead of WNMU and are third-best at holding opponents to a 37 percent shooting clip. The Javelinas have been accurate from downtown, making a second-best 35 percent from three-point range. Kaylin Roher powers the team at 11.6 points per game and also has 29 steals in starting every game. Tee Moore (8.5) and Meesha Wade (8.4) are second and third on the team in scoring. Kaylee Kana is the top rebounder with 8.2 per game, she also adds 7.1 points.

Live video and stats will be available for both games.

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Players Mentioned

#31 Jade Botelho: F; 5' 10"; Junior

#2 Jordan Gutierrez: G; 5' 3"; Senior

#32 Megan Looney: F; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#31 Jade Botelho
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F

#2 Jordan Gutierrez
: 5' 3"; Senior
: G

#32 Megan Looney
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: F

Players Mentioned

#31 Jade Botelho

#2 Jordan Gutierrez

#32 Megan Looney

Players Mentioned

#31 Jade Botelho

#2 Jordan Gutierrez

#32 Megan Looney