LAS VEGAS – The New Mexico State women's basketball team gets set for the Western Athletic Conference Championship game at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
After the semi-finals wrapped up, the Aggies have their match up in the finals set against the Seattle U Redhawks on Saturday, March 11 at 4 p.m. MT. The three consecutive appearances in the championship game is a program first, as the team won the title the past two season.
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SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
Seattle U advanced on Friday, March 10 as they defeated the Utah Valley Wolverines, 61-60. The tightly contested match up came down to the last minute as the Redhawks won the game after knocking down two shots at the line before the defense held strong on the Wolverines final possession.
Heading into championship game, the Seattle U. Redhawks sit at 15-16 overall with a 10-4 regular season finish in Western Athletic Conference play.
Seattle U. is led by senior Alexis Montgomery who averages a team-best 15.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Another player averaging double-digit points for the Redhawks is senior Kaylee Best, putting up 13.6 points per game and a team-leading 76 made three-point field goals.
As a team, Seattle U. averages 64.6 points per game, while allowing a near equal 63.4. The Redhawks also average 37.5 rebounds and force 15.3 turnovers. The opposition is best in the first and fourth quarter as they outscore opponents 488-472 in the first ten minutes and 565-479 in the final quarter of play.
The game on Saturday contest will be the 13th meeting between the Aggies and the Redhawks as NM State currently holds the series lead, 8-4. The last time the teams squared off, the Aggies defeated the Redhawks in Seattle, 64-61, on Feb. 25.
NM State and Seattle U are tied 1-1 in WAC tournament play as the Aggies bested the Redhawks in their most recent match up, 79-75 in overtime of the teams semi-finals match up back on March 13, 2015.
AGGIES TOURNAMENT TRAKH RECORD
Head coach
Mark Trakh is 25-16 all-time in conference tournaments during his career and 7-3 during his time at NM State. The Aggies went 2-0 in each of the last two seasons, taking home the WAC Tournament Championship.
THE LEADER OF THE WAC
NM State has dominated in Western Athletic Conference competition as the team is 45-2 in their last 47 conference meetings, including tournament play, with a perfect 14-0 in WAC play this regular season. New Mexico State women's basketball also proves to be ahead of the WAC competition as they rank in the top-three in 20 of the 21 recorded team statistical categories.
The team's play is featured by leading the conference in eight fields over 27 games, including scoring offense (69.8 PPG), scoring defense (58.7 PPG), scoring margin (+11.1), field goal percentage (.426 FG pct.), three-point field goal percentage (.361 3FG pct.), three-point field goal defense (.273 3FG pct.), rebounding margin (+2.7), and turnover margin (+2.9).
STREAKING
After the team's semi-final match up, NM State set the new program record for wins in a row (16). The previous record of 15-consecutive was set by the Aggies back in 1987-88 coached by Joe McKeown. That streak was snapped in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 1988, in an 85-74 loss to Washington.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE AGGIES
NM State played their first game of the WAC Tournament on Friday afternoon, defeating the UMKC Roos 71-63 and advancing to the conference championship game. The team held their lead for 37:58 of play as their efficient shooting (52.1 FG%).
