LAS CRUCES, N.M. – After opening Western Athletic Conference play with a pair of close victories, the NM State women's basketball team will now get its first test on the road as conference play continues on Thursday, Jan. 14, at Missouri-Kansas City. The Aggies will then travel to the Windy City to battle Chicago State on Saturday, Jan. 16.
 
Thursday's contest is available on the WAC Digital Network (Online) with TJ Jackson on the call while live stats will be the only medium available for Aggie fans on Saturday against Chicago State.
 
UMKC LINKS: Live Stream | Live Audio (Subscription-Based) | Live Stats | @NMStateWBB | @UMKCWBB
CHICAGO STATE LINKS: Live Stats | @NMStateWBB | @ChicagoStateWBB
 
ROLLIN' ROLLIN' ROLLIN'
The Aggies have been on a roll this year, winning 12-of-15 games so far and will take a four-game win-streak into Thursday's match-up with UMKC. New Mexico State has also won seven of its last eight games. During that stretch, the Aggies have held opponents to just 57.6 points per game to their 64.9 points per game.
 
The Aggie defense has also been ferocious in that stretch, forcing 20.3 turnovers per game.
 
SCOUTING THE 'ROOS
Missouri-Kansas City heads into Thursday's 6 p.m. (MT) contest with a 6-9 overall mark after splitting its opening week of WAC play on the road. The Aggies lead the all-time series 5-3, but are only 1-2 when playing at the Swinney Recreation Center.
 
The 'Roos dropped their first game of WAC play to Seattle, 69-63, despite Samantha Waldron dropping 19 points and Taylor Leathers recording a double-double (12pts and 10rebs).
 
UMKC, who was picked to finished seventh by both the media and coaches in the preseason poll, surprised CSU Bakersfield on its home floor at the Icardo Center with a 56-40 win. A game in which was won by the 'Roos in the third quarter where they outscored the 'Runners 19-9 behind Aries Washington and Leathers, who scored 20 points and 15 points respectively. The two also brought down nine boards each for the 'Roos.
 
After her 20-point performance, Washington is now averaging 11.6 points to pace the UMKC while Kiana Law is averaging 10 points.
 
Washington, a 5-9 guard, is also pulling down 5.9 boards per game – good for second on the team – to go with her team-high 34 assists. Prior to last Saturday's contest against CSUB, the last time Washington reached double-figures in scoring was back on Dec. 19 against Bethany College (16).
 
Law has been held under her average to just eight points the past four games despite averaging 7.1 boards. The 6-1 forward also has the second-highest shooting-percentage on the team, checking in with a .480 clip.
 
Leathers is averaging 7.9 points, which is good for third on the team, and shooting a team-best .486 from the floor to go with her 4.9 boards per game. Waldron is right on her tails with 6.9 points per game thanks to a team-high 20 triples (.313).   
 
Ceidra Coleman is also someone the Aggies will keep an eye on. The 5-6 guard has 33 dimes on the year despite turning it over 32 times as well.
 
WINDY CITY WINDUP
Following its mid-week tilt with UMKC, New Mexico State will then make its way up to Chicago State for a Saturday afternoon contest at 1 pm. (MT).  The Cougars have now lost six-straight after earning a 76-59 win over Jackson State on the road, their second win of the season.
 
Layne Murphy, a 6-2 forward, is having the best season of her career. The senior is averaging a team-high 13.5 points and nearly averaging a double-double with 9.4 boards per game to go with her .446 shooting clip. She also paces the team with 40 assists and second in blocks with 21 to go with 23 steals. In the last four games, Murphy is averaging 16 points and 9.8 boards.
 
Kaylee Allen is just short of averaging in double-figures, checking in at 9.8 points per game. The 5-9 freshman is shooting .359 from the floor, but has struggled at the line for Chicago State. The freshman has made just 26-of-46 attempts at the charity stripe (.565).
 
The Cougars' second-leading rebounder, Sh'Toya Sanders, is putting up 8.3 points per game and pulling down 6.2 boards per game. The 6-2 post player is also tied with Jasmine Sanders for the team lead in steals with 26.
 
Konnor Harris has led the team in triples all year, knocking down a team-high 24 treys (.246) and averaging 5.9 points.
 
GRAND FINISH IN THE PAN AM
Trailing 43-40 at the start of the fourth quarter for just the third time all year, NM State was able to escape Grand Canyon, 60-58, behind clutch shots from Moriah Mack, Sasha Weber and Shanice Davis down the stretch.
 
The trio combined for 16 of the Aggies' 20 points in the final quarter, including nine points in the final three minutes of action.
 
Weber, who finished with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, tied Brianna Freeman for a team-best seven rebounds.
 
The Aggies nearly went perfect from the line, knocking down 13-of-16 free-throws. NM State also benefited from a 14-2 advantage in second-chance points from its 12 offensive rebounds.
 
KEY WAC-OPENING WIN
With its win last Thursday over Utah Valley in the conference opener, NM State became 1-of-4 teams to have won their WAC opener. In the 10 years NM State has been in the conference, every team that has gone on to win the regular-season has won their opening game of the conference slate.
 
AGGIES FEND OFF WOLVERINES
Behind a career-night from Moriah Mack, NM State outlasted Utah Valley, 73-68, in its conference opener on Thursday. Mack started the game 5-of-5 from the field for 11 points before finishing with a career-high 21 points. The Aggies also had help from Brianna Freeman who finished with 15 points and Sasha Weber who finished with 11 points. Tamera William was also solid for the Aggies on the boards, pulling down 10 rebounds to go with her seven points. The win was NM State's third-straight over the Wolverines and its third-straight conference opening victory under head coach Mark Trakh.
 
MAGIC MACK
NM State was able to pull away from Utah Valley at home in its WAC opener thanks to the solid guard play of junior Moriah Mack. The 5-8 guard had a career-high night, scorching the Wolverines for 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting. She went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and had four assists as well. Her three triples Thursday also tied her new career-high for the third time. She last hit three treys against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 20, 2014.
 
LEADING LADIES
With the non-conference slate concluded, NM State and its players lead the league in several categories or are in the top-10.
 
As a team NM State leads the league in scoring offense (69.4), scoring margin (+8.7), blocked shots (73), turnover margin (+4.6), turnovers forced (20.19), 3-point field-goals made (119) and steals (167).
 
Sasha Weber's 12.7 points per game is good for fourth while Brianna Freeman's 11.1 points average has her in ninth. Freeman, who is shooting .504 from the field, leads the league while Weber's 44.4-percent from the field is good for eighth. Freeman's 6.9 boards per game also have her in fifth.
 
In the assist column, Shanice Davis is fourth in the WAC with 3.4 dimes per game while Weber is in 10th with 2.5.
 
Weber is also second in the conference in 3-point field-goal percentage, checking in at .396 and leads the league in 3-point field-goals made with 38 (2.5 per game).  Fellow senior, Abby Scott is ninth on the list with 1.5 triples per game.
 
Freeman, who is now 10th on the Aggies' all-time blocks list with 68, is second in conference with 1.4 blocks per game behind Chicago State's Sh'Toya Sanders (1.5BPG). Tamera William's 32 steals (2.0SPG) has her sitting in a tie for third while Davis is in 10th with 1.6 swipes per game.
 
RETURN OF THE MACK
Since her return to the line-up, Moriah Mack is averaging 10.5 points per game and 4.3 rebounds for NM State through eight games. She also has 16 steals, 15 assists and shooting .473 from the field during that stretch.
 
OPENING ACT
Since joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2005-06 season, NM State is 7-4 when playing in its conference openers and 3-3 when those conference openers are played at the Pan Am Center.
 
Overall, the Aggies 24-18 all-time in their conference opening games with the exception of 1973-74 season due to incomplete records.
 
Under head coach Mark Trakh, NM State is 4-2 in its first conference match and is currently on a three-game winning streak after Thursday's victory over Utah Valley.
 
The most points NM State has scored in a WAC opener was against Boise State in 2010 when the Aggies won 87-83 in overtime. The most points the Aggies have given up in a conference opener was in 2012 versus Utah State, 74-56.
 
NM State its mark for the most points in the WAC home opener on Thursday when it defeated UVU 73-68. The last time the Aggies scored that much was against Idaho (2008) in a 73-61 win.
 
The lowest points total for NM State in a WAC home opener was against the Vandals in 2006 in a 59-50 loss.
 
Conference Opener Breakdown (Includes 2015-16)
• WAC – 7-4 (1-0 in OT)
• Sun Belt – 2-3
• Big West – 5-5 (1-0 in OT)
• High Country – 6-2
• Intermountain – 4-4 (Missing results from inaugural season in 1973-74 due to incomplete records)
 
TRENDING UPWARD
The NM State hopes to see the same upward trend its players had last season once the conference slate begins. Last season, Sasha Weber (13.8) Shanice Davis (11.1) and Brianna Freeman (9.2) combined to average 11.3 points during the non-conference schedule. Once the dust settled, the three combined to average 16.5 points – 5.2 points better – in league play.
 
TRAKH-ING THE WINS
NM State's victory over Eastern New Mexico gave head coach Mark Trakh his 350th career-win at the helm. The fifth-year head coach has brought the national spotlight back to New Mexico State, leading the Aggies to their first WAC regular-season crown and first WAC Tournament title in 2014-15. He also led the Aggies to their first NCAA appearance since the 1987-88 season.
 
The win last week over Texas A&M Corpus Christi marked the fourth-straight year Trakh has guided the Aggies into the double-digit win category.
 
TAYLOR'S TIME
Tyesha Taylor showed the Aggie faithful a glimpse of what the redshirt freshman is capable of. The 6-4 forward recorded a career-high 15 points in 13 minutes of action for the Aggies versus Eastern New Mexico. Her 13 points against the Greyhounds eclipsed what she had scored in her first seven games combined (10). Another great sign for NM State was that Taylor made 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
 
Against Western New Mexico, Taylor smashed her previous career-high in rebounds of five with 15 against the Lady Mustangs. She also finished the contest with seven points and 5-of-10 shooting from the line.
 
WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF?
The last time NM State followed a home loss with a victory was against Eastern New Mexico in 2014-15. That team wound up winning 22 of its final 25 games and went on to win 17-straight games, 12 of which came from the 2014-15 season, at home before falling to UTEP on Dec. 5.
 
The Aggies followed up that home loss to UTEP with a win against Eastern New Mexico on Dec. 14, setting them up for another clash with history.
 
TWICE IS NICE, BUT THREE IS BETTER
With its 52-47 win over New Mexico on Dec. 20, NM State swept their neighbors to the north for the first time since the 1995-96 season. The win also made it three-straight for the Aggies over the Lobos. The last time that happened, the Aggies won 10-straight from 1992-96.
 
The last time NM State defeated New Mexico at The Pit came on Dec. 22, 1995, a 78-73 double-overtime thriller in favor of the Aggies.
 
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER
NM State had one of its best starts in program history thanks to a 6-0 record in the month of November. It is the most wins for the Aggies in the opening month of the season. The best record in the month of November for NM State was back in 2010 when the Aggies went 5-0. This is only the seventh time in 43 seasons that the Aggies have been undefeated in November.
 
AWARDS CENTRAL
Sasha Weber received NM State's second WAC Player of the Week honor this season when she reeled off 20 points and 16 points against San José State and New Mexico, respectively, on the road. This is the second honor of her career and first of the season. During the three-game stretch, Weber averaged 14.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. The Lacey, Wash., product was also .519 from the floor and .474 from three to go with seven assists, three blocks and three steals.
 
Brianna Freeman earned the Aggies' first player of the week honor on Nov. 30 when she recorded back-to-back double-doubles in the Hotel Encanto Thanksgiving Classic hosted by the Aggies. During the tournament, the junior forward averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 boards.
 
HOW SWEEP IT IS
NM State swept the WAC Player of the Week (Nov. 30) honor for both men's and women's basketball for the first time ever in school history. The last time NM State swept a weekly conference honor in basketball dated back to March 3 of the 2002-03 season when the Aggies were in the Sun Belt Conference.
 
IN THE NATION
Through Monday night's games, NM State is tied for 26th in NCAA Division I women's basketball with a 13-3 record. The Aggies are also in the top-75 of several categories.
 
On the offensive end, NM State's 119 three-pointers has them in 28th-place while their 7.4 shots from downtown per game rank them 38th.
 
On the defensive end, NM State's 20.19 turnovers forced average is also good for 29th in the country. Its 167 steals on the year has them in 23rd while its 10.4 steals per game puts NM State in 37th. New Mexico State's 4.63 turnover margin is good for 26th in the nation. The Aggies' 73 blocked shots also has them in 52nd-place while its 4.6 blocks average is good for 73rd amongst the 344 teams.
 
BEST OF THE BEST
Sasha Weber currently ranks amongst the best of the best in the NCAA. Her 1,328 career points total has her 56th in the NCAA Division I active career leaders list in scoring while her 229 made 3-pointers has her checking in at No. 11 amongst active players.
 
WRITING THEIR OWN STORY
The 2015-16 NM State women's basketball team etched its name into the Aggie record books when it started the season 6-0, and was two wins shy of the 1993-94 squad that started the year off 8-0. That team went on to finish the season 24-4 and 14-4 in Big West play.
 
A win Thursday against UMKC ties NM State with the 1993-94 squad for the best start to a season since then and could pass them with a win on Saturday against Chicago State.
 
The Aggies saw their 17-game win-streak at the Pan Am Center snapped last week against I-10 rival UTEP, 71-65. The 17-game win-streak at home is the third-longest streak ever in program history since the 1992-94 squads won 18-straight.
 
The last time the Aggies lost at home, they went on a 22-3 run to end the 2014-15 season. Counting last season, NM State has now won 35 of its last 41 games.
 
There were 370 days between NM State's last lost at home to Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 29, 2014) and last Saturday's loss to UTEP on Dec. 5, 2015.
 
THE WILLIAM WAY
Junior Tamera William has been on a tear for NM State early on in the 2015-16 season. The 5-9 guard is averaging 8.3 points. The Las Vegas, Nev., product is also shooting 38.5-percent from the field and 41-of-56 from the charity stripe to go with her 32 steals, 12 blocks and 84 rebounds.
 
William also tallied her first-career double-double on Nov. 19 when she netted 14 points and 10 boards against Sacramento State.
 
In the season-opener against North Dakota State, she paced the Aggies with a career-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. William then followed it up with a game-high 18 points to help guide NM State past in-state rival, New Mexico, for the second-straight time in two years – the first time NM State has won back-to-back games against UNM since the 1995-96 season.
 
She followed up her double-double performance with a new career-high in rebounds with 13 against Southern Utah. On Dec. 2 against Arizona out of the Pac-12 Conference, William recorded a new career-high with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting. She was also 2-of-3 from deep and a perfect 6-for-6 at the line.
 
SALAS SHINES
Freshman Brooke Salas has taken full advantage of the opportunity as a starter for NM State. The Placentia, Calif., product opened her Aggie career with 10 points against North Dakota State in a hostile road game and nearly had a triple-double. She also finished with eight boards and seven steals.
 
The 5-10 guard followed up with a 13 point showing against New Mexico in NM State's home-opening rivalry match. Her final line included four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.
 
After going 0-19 behind the arc in her first five collegiate games, Salas finally knocked down her first 3-pointer against Northern Arizona and finished the night 3-of-5 from downtown. She also picked up a new season-high that night, scoring 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
 
Salas tallied a new season-high over the Christmas break when she dropped 18 points against Texas A&M Corpus Christi at the Fordham Holiday Classic.
 
Salas is currently fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds.
 
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER Z
Sophomore Zaire Williams came off the bench and nearly had a double-double against Sacramento State. The Dana Point, Calif., product dished out eight dimes to go with her eight points, six steals and six rebounds to help the Aggies down the stretch against the Hornets. The eight assists by Williams was also a new career-high. Head coach Mark Trakh believed she was the impact player of the game against the Hornets, being the most stable guard for the Aggies against Sacramento State's pressure.
 
WEBER MOVING ON UP
Sasha Weber, a 6-0 senior guard, continues to leave her mark in the record books as she moved into 13th all-time in scoring for the Aggies. The Lacey, Wash., product now has 1,328 points in her career. She's now 17 points shy of passing Sinnamon Garrett (1,344, 2000-04), a La Crescenta, Calif., native that played at La Crescenta Valley High School for 11th-place.
 
Jeanette Feaster (1,323, 1982-86), a Millersburg, Pa., native that played Susquenhanna High School for 12th place.
 
Weber recently passed Jeanette Feaster (1,323, 1982-86) for 12th place last week against Grand Canyon.
 
With 12 games remaining in the regular season, Weber has an opportunity crack the top 10 and could possibly be in the top six if her scoring average stays within the range of years past.
 
Weber (74) is just one blocks shy of passing Vicki Evans (74, 1985-89) for eighth all-time in blocks at NM State after tying Evans last Thursday against Utah Valley.
 
Weber also made her 200th three-point field-goal against Southern Utah when she nailed a 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining in the first quarter. She now has 213 career three-point field goals.
 
WHAT'S ON TAP
NM State is set to return home to the Pan American Center for a pair games against WAC rivals, Seattle U (Jan. 21) and CSU Bakersfield (Jan. 23). Saturday's contest against the 'Runners is slated as NM State's #PackThePanAm 2.0, where tickets are sold for just $2 as the athletics department and women's basketball team looks to break the all-time home attendance record for women's hoops.
 
The Aggies will then hit the road on Jan. 30 to wrap up the first half of conference play at UT Rio Grande Valley.