LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's basketball team takes its first road trip of Western Athletic Conference play when it visits Grand Canyon on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. (MT) before visiting the Icardo Center and CSU Bakersfield on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m.
 
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Where to Watch
Aggie fans can catch all the action when NM State visits Grand Canyon on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 6 p.m. (MT) thanks to livestream from the WAC Digital Network. Saturday's matchup at CSU Bakersfield at 2 p.m. is set to stream live on WatchESPN and ESPN3 with a paid cable subscription.
 
Follow Along
Live stats from GCU are available through StatBroadcast.  Saturday's contest at Bakersfield is set to have live stats through SideArm Sports.
 
A Look at the Lopes
Grand Canyon enters Thursday night's contest with a 3-9 overall record and a 1-1 record in Western Athletic Conference play. The Lopes split last weekend's games, falling 57-46 at Utah Valley on Jan. 3, and beating Seattle U in triple-overtime 75-73 on Jan. 5. Last season, the Aggies defeated GCU 64-60 in the Pan Am but dropped a 50-34 decision in Phoenix.
 
ShaRon Miller is the only Lope scoring in double figures as she averages 10.8 points per game on .505 shooting from the field. AJ Cephas leads GCU in rebounds with 6.6 per game with Miller second on the squad at 6.0.
 
As a team, Grand Canyon ranks in the lower half of the WAC at seventh in scoring offense with 58.7 points per game. They rank in the middle of the pack defensively at fifth, giving up 67.2 points per contest.
 
Scouting the 'Runners
Entering Saturday's matchup, CSU Bakersfield has a 5-10 overall record to go along with a 1-1 record in WAC play. The 'Runners started WAC play with a 70-60 win over Seattle U on Jan. 3, before falling at Utah Valley 78-70 on Jan. 5. NM State and CSUB split last year's games with the Aggies earning a 56-48 win at home while losing on the road 62-52.
 
Bakersfield is led by preseason All-WAC selection Alexxus Gilbert who averages 17.7 points per game. Gilbert's 17.7 points per game are good for third in the WAC behind Kansas City's Ericka Mattingly (19.4) and Brooke Salas (19.1). Senior forward Malayasia McHenry joins Gilbert in double-figure scoring at 10.5 points per contest while leading the team in rebounds per game with 6.7.
 
The 'Runners rank third in the WAC in scoring defense, giving up 64.7 points per game. CSUB also turns its opponents over 20.6 times per game, tops in the WAC. Its turnover margin of +5.3 ranks 21^st nationally. Offensively, CSU Bakersfield ranks fifth with an offense that scores 63.8 points per game.
 
Last Time Out
NM State opened conference play at home against WAC–newcomer California Baptist on Jan. 3, a 76-69 victory for its 15^th-straight conference home win.
 
The Aggies shot 38 percent from the field but outrebounded the Lancers 53-37, the first time NM State recorded 50 or more rebounds since pulling down 52 on Nov. 11, 2017, at New Mexico. Stabresa McDaniel scored a career-high 21 points on 9-13 shooting while Brooke Salas notched her eighth double-double of the season with a 20-point, 17-rebound effort.
 
Up Next
The Aggies return home to the City of Crosses to take on Seattle U on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. (MT) before hosting Utah Valley on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 12 p.m. Fans can stream the UVU matchup via livestream on the WAC Digital Network.