Pair of Tough Regional Matchups Await Women’s Basketball

LUBBOCK, Texas – Having already played a pair of teams from the Heartland Conference this year, the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team will go against two more from the Heartland Conference in Lubbock Christian and St. Mary's this weekend.

WNMU is 0-2 on the season after coming close against Rogers State in the first game, before falling late. Newman was a tough matchup the next night, as although the Lady Mustangs played even with the Jets for three quarters, the first quarter proved to be the different.

Junior Ciara Fields (El Paso, TX/El Dorado) leads the team averaging 14.5 points per game. She also has 4.5 rebounds, a block and three steals. Freshman Rachel Francisco (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) is also averaging in double-figures at 11 per game. WNMU as a team averages 55 points per game and allow 70.5. They have made 30 percent from the field and allowed 37 percent.

WNMU will go against Lubbock Christian first on Friday starting at 6 p.m. Central Time. The Lady Chaps were receiving votes in the national WBCA Poll to start the season and are off to a 3-0 start this year. They already have wins against No. 5 CSU-Pueblo, MSU Denver and Texas A&M-Commerce. Three players average in double-figures led by 14.3 per game from Tess Bruffey. She is nearly averaging a double-double with 9.3 rebounds per contest. They average 67 points per game and allow 48. They have made 42 percent from the field and opponents are at 32 percent. Lubbock Christian went 19-11 last year and are just a few years removed from their perfect 35-0 season during the 2015-16 campaign that concluded with a national championship.

To conclude the trip, the Lady Mustangs will face St. Mary's on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. Central Time. The Rattlers are 0-3 on the season having faced Texas Woman's, Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. They lost those three games by a combined 12 points, including a three-point loss to Tarleton State and a two-point loss last time out against Texas A&M-Kingsville. Arysia Porter leads the team with 14 points per game, while Kealani adds 10.3 per game. Hannah Wilson leads the team in rebounding at 7.7 per game. They average 55 points and allow 59 points. They have made 35 percent from the floor and hold opponents to a 38 percent clip.

Live video, stats and audio will be available for the game against Lubbock Christian, while live video and stats will be available for the matchup with St. Mary's.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Rachel Francisco: G; 5' 3"; Freshman

#20 Ciara Fields: G; 5' 9"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#15 Rachel Francisco
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: G

#20 Ciara Fields
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G

Players Mentioned

#15 Rachel Francisco

#20 Ciara Fields

Players Mentioned

#15 Rachel Francisco

#20 Ciara Fields