LAS CRUCES, N.M. –The New Mexico State women's basketball team closes out a three-game road swings with a pair of WAC match-ups. First stop for the Aggies is a battle with CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. (MT). Two days later, NM State travels to Phoenix, Ariz. to take on the Lopes of Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. MT on Feb. 10.
 
WHERE TO WATCH
Fan can watch the Aggies take on both the 'Runners and the Lopes on the WAC Digital Network.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live stats are also available for each contest. The game against Bakersfield can be followed along on SideArm Stats and the contest versus Grand Canyon on StatBroadcast.
 
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 'RUNNERS
CSU Bakersfield gets set to host NM State on Thursday and the Runners currently hold a 12-10 overall record and sit in second behind the Aggies in the WAC standings at 6-2.
 
The Runners have won their last four in a row, most recently taking down UMKC on the road 76-62. NM State handed Bakersfield its first WAC loss of the season, 56-48, on Jan. 13 at the Pan Am.
 
CSU Bakersfield's offense is led by Aja Williams who has played in 20 of the team's 22 games and averaged 13.0 points per game with 5.2 rebounds. Jazmyne Bartee leads the team on the glass with 6.6 rebounds per game and has also added 38 blocks and 18 steals.
 
LOOKING AT THE LOPES
Grand Canyon currently sits at 11-11 overall with a 5-3 mark in WAC play. The Lopes bounced back from an overtime loss to UMKC to take down Chicago State, 59-43, this past Saturday.
 
 
Three prominent Lopes players lead the team in scoring and have played in 20-plus games for GCU. Brie Mobley paces the team with 18.8 points per game and a team-high 7.9 rebunds. Jessica Gajewski follows with 14.1 points per contest and August Touchard has averages 11.0.
 
NM State last took on GCU in the Pan Am on Jan. 11 and took down the Lopes, 64-60, for the team's first conference loss of the season.
 
LEADER OF THE WAC
NM State begins the second round of WAC play with a 12-9 overall record while also leading the league standings at 6-1. New Mexico State sits atop the conference in field goal percentage (.430), blocked shots (4.7) and defensive rebounds (26.2). In league games along, The Aggies post the scoring offense (69.1), field goal percentage (.453) and 3-point defense (.291).
 
Individually, Zaire Williams holds the assists lead in the WAC with 5.4 per game. Brooke Salas ranks first in the conference in blocked shots per game (1.9) and second in points per game (19.4), 3-point field goal percentage (.402) and free throw percentage (.828).
 
LAST TIME OUT
New Mexico State women's basketball traveled to the Lone Star State to take on Western Athletic Conference foe UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday evening at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. A deep three from Williams tied the contest up with 12 seconds left in regulation and the guard then knocked down two free throws in the waning seconds of overtime to take down UTRGV, 79-77.
 
At night's end, Gia Pack led the Aggies in scoring with 29 points and on the glass with nine rebounds. Williams followed with a double-double of 17 points and a team-leading 11 assists. Tonishia Childress also finished with double-digits, tying a career-high, with 11 points.
 
UP NEXT
Following the contests against Bakersfield and GCU, NM State returns to the Pan American Center for a pair of pivotal conference matchups. The Aggies take on Utah Valley on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. MT, before facing off with Seattle U on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m.