LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The NM State women's basketball travels to Flagstaff, Ariz. to take on the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 12 p.m. MT. The Aggies look to get back to their winning ways after dropping an overtime game, 74-63, to Arizona this past Sunday.
WHERE TO CATCH THE ACTION
Watch Live: FOX Sports Arizona (Direct TV 686 DISH: 415) / FOX College Sports Pacific
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.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE LUMBERJACKS
The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks enter the game at 4-4 on the year, coming off an 82-67 home victory over Denver. Their team is led by senior Rene Coggins and junior Olivia Lucero. Coggins averages a team-leading 14.8 points and Lucero is close behind averaging 14.5. NAU guard Brittani Lusain leads on the defensive end and has totaled a team-high 12 steals and 42 defensive rebounds this season.
As a team, the Lumberjacks average 71.1 points, 42.4 rebounds and 15.1 assists over their first eight games. The opposition thrives at the end of each half as they outscore opponents at the end of the second (144-101) and fourth quarter (173-130).
New Mexico State heads to Flagstaff holding a 17-4 series lead over NAU. The last match up between the two teams saw the Aggies walk away with an 87-53 victory at the Pan American Center on Nov. 28, 2015.
BRINGING IN REINFORCEMENTS
The trip on Sunday will be the first time guard
Tonishia Childress and forward
Tyler Ellis will be suiting up for the Aggies. Childress has been held off the court as transfer rules would not allow her to get time until Dec. 10. Ellis has been dealing with an injury and the return will be extra help for the Aggie forwards.
Tonishia Childress last played for Boise State in 2014-15 as she started in 15 contests for the Broncos. The guard averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 assists and 1.1 rebounds during her sophomore campaign.
In 2015-16, Ellis made 30 appearances for NM State during her junior season. The forward scored a career-high 14 point's against Southern Utah (11/24) and finished the season with 2.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
FREEMAN NEARS THE 1,000 POINT THRESHOLD
Aggie senior forward
Brianna Freeman has 968 career points through 98 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 eight games this season, the forward has averaged 9.6 points and dropped a season-high 16 at New Mexico on Nov. 15.
#WACVEGAS
Beginning Monday, Dec. 12, fans can begin pre-ordering all-session tickets for the 2017 WAC Basketball Tournament (March 8-11). This year's conference tournament will be held at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
TICKET INFORMATION/PRICES
All-Session (All men's and women's games)
$250 – First Row in front of Press Section (P1)
$125 – All other sections except upper rows of closed end (P2)
$100 – Upper rows of section in closed end of horseshoe (P3)
Single Day Tickets
Quarterfinals (Wednesday/Thursday):
P2: Men -$45; Women - $10
P1: $90
Semi Finals (Friday):
P2: Men - $50; Women - $15
P1: $100
Finals (Saturday):
P2: Men - $50; Women - $20
P1: $100
Students and Youth 12 and Under:
$10 per session
Women's All-Session Tournament Only: $40
Student Tickets: Student tickets will be sold on a daily basis during the week of the tournament. However, an institution will be able to conduct an on-campus pre-sale of student tickets (max of 350) for its first guaranteed game whereby students would receive a voucher/receipt during the pre-sale that guarantees them a ticket. Distribution of all pre-sold tickets would be administered by institutional staff on site at the Orleans Arena.
LAST TIME WE SAW THE AGGIES
The last time out, NM State finished off a four game home stand against Pac-12 opponent, Arizona. This game saw the Aggies take the Wildcats into overtime as they dropped a heartbreaker, 74-63 in the Pan American Center. The loss brought the team to 5-3 on the season.
AFTER THE GAME
The contest on Sunday will begin a five-game road stint for the Aggies as they do not return home until Dec. 31 to host Western New Mexico. After the game at Northern Arizona, the Aggies will head to El Paso, Texas to square off against Battle of I-10 rival, UTEP on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.
