LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's basketball team (19-6, 11-0) is looking to stay unbeaten in 2017 as they embark on a two-game road trip to face off against Western Athletic Conference opponents, Utah Valley and Seattle U.
 
On Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:00 p.m. MT, the Aggies stop in Orem, Utah to take on the Utah Valley Wolverines (8-18, 3-8). Then the team heads to Seattle, Wash. to battle the Seattle U Redhawks (12-14, 9-2) on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.
 
WHERE TO CATCH THE ACTION
Feb. 23 at Utah Valley - Watch on the WAC Digital Network
Live Stats
 
Feb. 25 at Seattle U. - Watch the live stream on goseattleu.com
Live Stats
 
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.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
The game on Thursday will see the Utah Valley Wolverines host the Aggies at Lockhart Arena. The Wolverines currently sit at 8-18 overall and 3-8 in WAC play. The Wolverines dropped their last two conference games, with the latest seeing the team fall on the road to Grand Canyon University, 60-42.
 
Utah Valley has three starters on their roster currently averaging double-digits in scoring, with Taylor Gordon (14.5 PPG), Mariah Seals (13.2 PPG) and Sam Lubcke (12.1 PPG). Lubcke (WAC Player of the Week on Dec. 12) also leads the team in rebounds as she has corralled 8.6 per game.
 
Utah Valley's team as a whole has put up 58.5 points a game and allowed 63.8. Defensively, the Wolverines have an advantage as they have topped opponents in total steals (243-225).
 
Thursday evening's showdown will be the 11th time NM State has played UVU, as the Aggies hold a 8-2 series lead all-time. The two teams last faced off on Jan. 28 at the Pan American Center as the Aggies defeated the Wolverines, 63-46, on a night where Moriah Mack notched her 1,000th career point.
 
FAMILIAR TERRITORY
New Mexico State's associate head coach Jason Glover will make his first return to Utah Valley, where he held his last coaching duty. Glover previously served as associate head coach at Utah Valley from 2013-16. Upon joining the Wolverines in 2013, Glover was able to double the amount of wins the team had from his first year to his third year. UVU went 8-23 his first season (2013-14) and finished 16-15 this past season (2015-16).
 
Glover was been able to develop all-conference players for Utah Valley, as well. In his three seasons with the Wolverines, Glover coached Mariah Seals to a Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honor in 2014-15, a first teamer in Sam Loggins (2015-16), two second teamers in Rhaiah Spooner-Knight (2014-15) and Seals (15-16) and three all-newcomers.
 
TAKING A LOOK AT THE REDHAWKS
Heading into Saturday's match-up, the Seattle U. Redhawks sit at 12-14 overall and 9-2 in Western Athletic Conference play. The opponent's latest game saw them defeat defeat CSU Bakersfield on the road, 63-52.
 
Seattle U. is led by senior Alexis Montgomery who averages a team-best 16.5 points, 7.9 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 67 made three-point field goals.
 
As a team, Seattle U. averages 64.7 points per game, while allowing a near equal 64.2. The Redhawks also average 37.1 rebounds and force 16.1 turnovers. The opposition is best in the first and fourth quarter as they outscore opponents 426-401 in the first ten minutes and 475-416 in the final quarter of play.
 
The game on Saturday contest will be the 12th meeting between the Aggies and the Redhawks as NM State currently holds the series lead, 7-4. The last time the team's squared off, the Aggies took the Redhawks to overtime at home on Jan. 26, ultimately walking away with a 73-69 victory.
 
THE LEADER OF THE WAC
NM State has dominated in Western Athletic Conference competition as the team is 41-2 in their last 43 conference meetings, including tournament play, with a perfect 11-0 in WAC play this season as the team holds a two-game lead over second place Seattle U. New Mexico State women's basketball also proves to be ahead of the WAC competition as they rank in the top-three in 18 of the 21 recorded team statistical categories.
 
The team's play is featured by leading the conference in nine fields over 25 games, including scoring offense (70.4 PPG), scoring defense (59.2 PPG), scoring margin (+11.2), field goal percentage (.419 FG pct.), three-point field goal percentage (.349 3FG pct.), three-point field goal defense (.282 3FG pct.), rebounding margin (+2.9),  offensive rebounding percentage (.373 O-Reb%) and turnover margin (+4.0).
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE AGGIES
The latest contest for NM State saw the team hold senior night on the team's final home contest of the season. The five seniors - Tyler Ellis, Brianna Freeman, Moriah Mack, Brandee Walton and Tamera William - ended their home careers with the Aggies just like they started them, with a victory. The team saw five players score in double digits as the Aggies defeated the Vaqueros 87-67 on Feb. 18.