Mustangs Return Home to Take on Texas A&M – Kingsville and Angelo State

Women's Basketball 1/16/2019 9:28:00 AM

Mustangs Return Home to Take on Texas A&M – Kingsville and Angelo State

Silver City, N.M –With identical records of 2-4 in conference play, Western will look to defend home court against Texas A&M – Kingsville at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. The second game of the weekend will feature Western and Angelo State, who currently sits atop the conference standings, Saturday at 2 p.m. on Drag's Court.

LAST TIME OUT:

The Lady Mustangs (6-7, 2-4 LSC) went 1-1 last weekend after a hard-fought win over Cameron, before falling to Midwestern State, bringing their record to 2-1 on the road.

Western avenged their loss last season defeating the Aggies 67-64 for their second conference win. The Lady Mustangs kept it close through the first quarter before running away in the second, outscoring the Aggies 20-9 to take a 32-25 lead going into the half. With 0:34 seconds left in the third quarter a fast break jumper by Kayla Clark (Mesa, Arizona/Dobson High School) gave way to Western's largest lead at 48-37. The score would stay in favor of Western throughout most of the fourth, relying on made free throws to hold on to the win.

Saturday took a turn as the host team Midwestern State took an early 7-0 lead, as Western struggled to connect. In a battle of the Mustangs, Midwestern did not let up maintaining a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Western was unable to recover from a quiet third quarter, falling to Midwestern 80-46.

SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS:

Texas A&M – Kingsville enters the weekend 5-8 overall, 2-4 through LSC play. Last week the Javelinas earned a big home win over West Texas A&M, who was ranked #2 in NCAA Division II at the time.

Junior guard, Brynae Thompsen fuels the offense averaging 15.2 points per game. Hitting 45.8 percent from the field, 74.6 percent from the foul line, 34.3 percent from the arc, Thompsen ranks fourth in the LSC in scoring. Redshirt freshman, Bri-Anna Soliz and senior Cloe Lane lead the team defensively averaging 6.0 rebounds per game, racking 78 on the season already.

Voted to finish 10^th, the Javelinas sit one place below Western in the current conference standings. Averaging 58.2 points per game, shooting 34.5 percent from the field, the Javelinas rank ninth overall in scoring offense.

HISTORY VERSUS THE JAVELINAS:

Since joining the Lone Star in 2016 the Lady Mustangs are 1-3 against the Javelinas. Their lone win dating back to Feb. 23^rd during the 16-17 season, when Western came out on top with a 75-67 victory on home court. Dropping both meetings last season, Western will look to avenge those losses with a new mentality and lineup.

SCOUTING THE RAMBELLES:

Angelo State enters the weekend 10-2 overall, 5-1 in conference play and 19^th in the most recent NCAA Division II poll. In a battle of Lone Star supremacy, West Texas prevailed handing Angelo State their first conference loss last weekend.

Under the direction of Renae Shippy, the Angelo State Rambelles have a history of success. Back-to-back NCAA Division II Regional tournament appearances and a Sweet 16 appearance last season, it will be a battle on Drag's Court.

Preseason Player of the Year Marquita Daniels leads the Belles offense, averaging 15.5 points per game, shooting 38.2 percent from the field, putting her second overall in the LSC in scoring. Daniels also facilitates the offense dishing out 4.2 assists per game ranking third in the LSC.

Teammate De'Anira Moore does it all for the Belles averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field. Moore also leads the team in free throws going 36-of-52 from the charity stripe, and defensively is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game, fourth best in the LSC.

HISTORY VERSUS THE BELLES:

Since joining the Lone Star Conference in 2016, the Rambelles have dominated the series 4-0. Winning both meetings last year by significant margins, the Lady Mustangs will look close that gap this weekend.

Last season's meeting between the teams saw Ciara Fields (El Paso, TX/El Dorado) drain 13 points in a 86-31 loss in San Angelo. The Belles held the Lady Mustangs to single digit scoring in all but one quarter in that match.

ROAD WARRIORS:

Despite the loss at Midwestern, the Lady Mustangs should not be overlooked on the road bringing their record to 2-1 through conference play, and 2-1 at neutral sites. Last season saw them go 0-14 while away. Western will look to defend home court this weekend.

STEADY SENIORS

Senior guard Ciara Fields (El Paso, TX/El Dorado) turned it on last weekend, scoring in double digits in both games, with a season high 20 points in the win against Cameron. Fields was 5-9 from the floor, a perfect 2-2 from deep and nearly perfect from the free throw line at 8-9. On the weekend, she tallied 36 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

Teammate, Tatyanna McFarland (Riverside, California/Valley View High School) continues to make her mark grabbing 8.9 rebounds per game, ranking second in the Lone Star. She also averages 1.4 steals on the season, and averages 9.4 points per game.

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Players Mentioned

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

#12 Tatyana McFarland: F; 5' 10"; Senior

#32 Kayla Clark: F; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#12 Tatyana McFarland
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

#32 Kayla Clark
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F

Players Mentioned

#20 Ciara Fields

#12 Tatyana McFarland

#32 Kayla Clark

Players Mentioned

#20 Ciara Fields

#12 Tatyana McFarland

#32 Kayla Clark