LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's basketball team heads to Las Vegas, Nev. to take part in the Play 4 Kay Shootout, Dec. 19-21 at the T-Mobile Arena.
The Aggies first game will see them square off with the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Dec. 19 at 4 p.m. MT. The contest on Dec. 20 will see NM State take on UNLV or Oregon State at 4 or 9 p.m. MT, while the final game on Dec. 21 has not yet been determined.
WHERE TO CATCH THE ACTION
Listen: 91.5 FM KRUX (PxP: Adam Young)
GET CONNECTED
To stay connected with the women's basketball team and catch all of the up-to-date information and breaking news, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, @NMStateWBB.
PLAY4KAY SHOOTOUT
The inaugural Play4Kay Tournament benefits the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, an organization that supports funding for women's cancer research. The Play4Kay initiative is a grassroots fundraising campaign for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Play4Kay's primary fundraising support comes from women's basketball teams across the country that dedicate games throughout the season to raise funds and awareness for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
The charity was founded in 2007 from the vision of the organization's namesake Kay Yow, a former N.C. State head women's basketball coach who endured three bouts with breast cancer. Despite the disease, she coached for 38 years, recording more than 700 wins, making 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, 11 trips to the Sweet 16 and a Final Four berth in 1998. In 1988, she coached the United States to an Olympic gold medal.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund has raised more than $5.28 million for women's cancer research and to assist the underserved. For her achievements on and off the court, Coach Yow is enshrined in both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
The Quinnipiac Bobcats come into the game on Monday sitting at 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the MAAC. The opponent has split their last two contests with a loss to Michigan State (71-54) and a win over Hartford (82-59). Over the first nine game, the Bobcats have two players averaging double-digit points, Jen Fay (11.0) and Adily Martucci (10.7).
As a team, Quinnipiac averages 71.6 points, 39.9 rebounds and 18.2 assists a game. The team out of Hamden, Conn. plays their best basketball in the second half of games as they have outscored opponents, 394-308. The only two losses for the Bobcats this season came against teams who each made post-season national tournaments in 2015-16 in Temple (WNIT) and Michigan State (NCAA).
Monday's game will be the first time New Mexico State and Quinnipiac have squared off in the school's history.
LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE FIELD
The remaining six teams in the tournament feature five who won 20-plus games last season. Oregon State completed a historic 32-5 season which saw their team clinch a berth in the 2016 NCAA Final Four. Santa Clara comes in with experience as they are returning all five starters form a team that went 23-9 last season.
Another team returning all five starters form a strong team is Long Beach State who went 24-9 in 2015-16. Oklahoma State also went to the 2016 NCAA Tournament after going 21-10. South Florida joined Oklahoma State, Oregon State and NM State in the 2016 NCAA Tournament last season as well as their team went 24-10 and advanced to the second round of the tournament. Finally, the home favorite, UNLV Rebels, return eight players from a team that won 18 games last season.
21 YEARS IN THE MAKING
The contest on Thursday, Dec. 15 saw head coach
Mark Trakh and the Aggies do something that has not been done in 21 years. By beating UTEP, the team has now beaten the Battle of I-10 and Battle of I-25 (UNM) rival in the same season, a feat last accomplished during the 1995-96 campaign.
The squad in 1995-96 was led by head coach Mike Peterson and New Mexico State's all-time leading scorer, Anita Maxwell (2,601 pts.). This team completed the season at 20-10 overall and 10-4 in the Big West Conference.
FREEMAN NEARS THE 1,000 POINT THRESHOLD
Aggie senior forward
Brianna Freeman has 982 career points through 100 games for NM State. The Killeen, Texas native will become the 21st player to join the exclusive 1,000 point club in program history. Freeman will join former teammate
Sasha Weber (2012-16, 1,511) among the ranks of Aggies to reach the plateau. Through 10 games this season, the forward has averaged 9.1 points and dropped a season-high 16 at New Mexico on Nov. 15.
LAST TIME WE SAW THE AGGIES
The last game for the women's basketball team was on Dec. 15 as they defeated Battle of I-10 rival UTEP, 67-59, at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. Team play was led by senior guard
Tamera William as she put up a double-double (16 points, 15 rebounds) and set a personal career-high in rebounds.
As a team, the Aggies led the Miners in rebounds (40-39), forced turnovers (19-18) and steals (11-7). The strong performance by the Aggies put the team at 7-3 on the year.
AFTER THE BREAK
After the tournament, the Aggies will be off for ten days on holiday break. The next time the team will be in action will be on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. MT against Western New Mexico. This will be a home contest as everyone can come out and support NM State at the Pan American Center before the New Year.
