LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The New Mexico Highlands University men's and women's basketball teams return to action this weekend when they host Colorado State-Pueblo on Friday (Jan. 31) and UC-Colorado Springs Saturday (Feb. 1). The basketball double header begins with the women's game at 6 p.m. both nights.
There are multiple ways you can follow all the action. You can follow all live broadcasts this weekend by clicking
here. Live stats for all women's games will be located
here while live stats for the men's games are located by clicking
here. Finally, you can follow live updates on Twitter: @NMHUathletics.
Men's Basketball
Currently sitting sixth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (10-7, 7-6 conference), the New Mexico Highlands men's basketball team have a golden opportunity to put themselves on the fast track for a possible home game in the first round of the conference tournament.
On tap first this weekend is CSU-Pueblo, who is also 7-6 in the conference (9-8 overall). The Cowboys already beat the ThunderWolves, 82-71, back on Dec. 21. In the game, Highlands overcame a seven point, second half deficit with an 8-15 mark (53.3 percent) percentage from beyond the arc in the second half.
To read more about the Cowboys win over CSU-Pueblo, click
here.
UC-Colorado Springs invades the John A. Wilson Complex Saturday. The Mountain Lions are currently 8-5 in the RMAC (11-6 overall). Should the Cowboys win, both teams will be at a minimum tied in the standings going into the final seven games of the conference season (after this weekend).
The game against the Mountain Lions is the most critical of the weekend due to UC Colorado Springs 92-75 win in Colorado Springs on Dec. 20. The game went back and forth for the first nine minutes, but the Mountain Lions pulled away for the 17-point win.
To read more on Highlands loss to UC-Colorado Springs, click
here.
Cass Honored Again
Senior
Mannie Cass once again was honored by the RMAC. This time, he was named Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the first player to win both the offensive and defensive award this season. He recorded his second double-double of the season and third of his career in an 81-70 win over Western New Mexico.
To read more about Cass, click
here.
To read more about the Cowboys win over Western New Mexico
, click
here.
Scouting CSU-Pueblo
The ThunderWolves are coming off a weekend where they knocked off Chadron State on Friday (Jan. 24) before a loss at home to Black Hills State the next night, 84-76. If the Cowboys where to sweep this weekend, it has a golden chance to solidify their move up the standings as CSU-Pueblo takes on its traveling partner, UC-Colorado Springs, next weekend.
The ThunderWolves are 10th in the nation with 10.3 three-pointers a ballgame. The Cowboys knocked off CSU-Pueblo thanks in part to their 8-15 (53.3 percent) mark in the second half. The ThunderWolves did have seven triples in the second half, but only four shots from inside the arc. Highlands must continue to force its advantage inside. In 17 games this season, the Cowboys have only out-rebounded five opponents. One of those teams was the ThunderWolves (42-37).
Highlands also must keep its turnovers down (the Cowboys only had nine in the first meeting) as CSU-Pueblo is 21st in the nation with only 10.6 turnovers per game.
Six different ThunderWolves average double-digits points, led by Nathan Tigner's 15.1 points per game. Tigner not only is a scorer as he is 14th in the nation with 6.4 assists per game. Wendell Lee and Julian Caldwell both add 5.8 rebounds per game.
Scouting UC-Colorado Springs
UC-Colorado Springs (11-6, 8-5 RMAC) ended a three game losing streak last weekend with a pair of double-digit wins at home against Black Hill State and Chadron State. In the first game, the Mountain Lions took advantage of a 22-5 edge in fast break points – the final margin of the ballgame.
The Mountain Lions like to push the tempo and take full advantage of its rebounding prowess. UC-Colorado Springs is 35th in the nation with 84.8 points per game. They also lead the conference with 41.8 rebounds per game and are second in the RMAC and 11th in the nation by out-rebounding their opponents by 8.5 per game. It may also be hard for Highlands to get good looks from downtown, as the Mountain Lions are third in the conference and are 82nd in the nation by allowing their opponents to shoot 32.9 percent from behind the arc. However, it should be noted that teams are hitting 35.5 percent from beyond the arc in conference play against the Mountain Lions.
In the first game, Highlands did hit 41.2 percent (7-17) from beyond the arc, but UC-Colorado Springs held a 13-rebound edge (48-35).
Derrick White is fourth in the conference and 49th in the nation with 19.8 points per game. Alex Walsh is sixth in the RMAC and 50th in the nation with 6.6 rebounds per game.
Women's Basketball
The New Mexico Highlands women's basketball team (8-9, 4-9 RMAC) finished the month 0-3 on the road, but it looks to continue its hot hand at home in January, where it holds a 4-1 record with an average of 77.4 points per game (including an 80.7 points per game mark in the last three contests).
The Cowgirls are looking to snap a three-game losing streak in the RMAC. The slide started with a 102-99 loss at Chadron State in double overtime, a game Highlands led by as much as 15 points in the second half.
Last week, the Cowgirls split on the week as they won their final non-conference game Tuesday (Jan. 21) 86-62 over Northern New Mexico on Jan. 21. At Western New Mexico Saturday (Jan. 25), Highlands erased a 12-point halftime deficit behind the double-double of senior
China Smith (20 points, 13 rebounds), but the Cowgirls could never take the lead in an 80-73 loss.
To read more about the Cowgirls loss to Western New Mexico, click
here.
A Double-Double Machine
Senior
China Smith only had three double-doubles through her first 10 games of the season. In the last seven games, she has five (including four at home this month). Smith has always been known more for her rebounding prowess, but her scoring has gone up exponentially in this month. Now leading the team, her scoring average has gone up by more than two points in January alone. She is averaging 14.9 points per game in 2014, 15.9 if you take out when she scored only eight points in the first game of the year against Metro State.
Smith has double-digit points in 6-of-8 games in 2014 and has double-digit points in her last seven contests.
Scouting CSU-Pueblo
CSU-Pueblo enters the game 14-5 overall and 11-2 in conference play, looking to keep pace with Colorado Mesa and all but clinch a first round home game. The ThunderWolves led the game throughout on December 21, but the Cowgirls made CSU-Pueblo sweat. With the ThunderWolves up by as much as 19 in the second half, the Cowgirls cut the deficit to seven. Senior
China Smith was held to a road-low of two points and four rebounds.
To read more about the Cowgirls game against CSU-Pueblo, click
here.
CSU-Pueblo likes to showcase its inside-outside game with 3.4 blocks per game (83rd in the nation) and 5.9 three-pointers per game (98th in the nation). The ThunderWolves also hold onto the ball (14.2turnovers per game, 23rd in the nation) and do not foul (16.3 fouls per game, 14th in the nation).
Highlands must flex its muscles inside as CSU-Pueblo – while they have moved to more rebounds per game than its opponents in conference play – only averages 0.5 more boards per game than its opponents (152nd in the nation). Highlands out rebounds its opponents by 3.5 boards per game (70th in the nation).
No one ranks in the top-10 in the RMAC in scoring, but four ThunderWolves average 11 points or more per game. Paige Ramm leads the team with 13.2 points per game with Taylor Fox close behind with 13.1 points per game. Fox leads the team with 7.6 rebounds, but Katie Nehf is a force to be reckoned with inside. Nehf has 6.9 rebounds per game and easily leads the conference (and is 28th in the nation) with 2.2 blocks per game.
Scouting UC-Colorado Springs
Like the Cowgirls, UC-Colorado Springs (7-10, 6-7 RMAC) is fighting for its RMAC Tournament lives. With a pair of wins last weekend, the Mountain Lions moved back in to eighth place in the conference standings, but three teams at 5-8 our breathing down their neck.
Like against CSU-Pueblo, Highlands must counter UC-Colorado Springs on the boards. The Mountain Lions only average winning the rebounding battle by 1.6 boards per game (124th in the nation). However, UC-Colorado Springs has improved its average a whole rebound more than when these two teams met in December.
The last time these two teams met, the Mountain Lions led from the opening tip in a convincing 77-55 win on Dec. 20. Only one player reached double-digits for the Cowgirls.
To read more about the earlier meeting with UC-Colorado Springs, click
here.
Abby Kirchoff is easily the standout player for the Mountain Lions as she is second in the RMAC and 10th in the nation with 22.6 points per game. Her all-around game should not be ignored as she is 218th in the nation with 3.1 assists per game. Kirchoff also leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game.
Next Up
The New Mexico Highlands University basketball teams start a four-game road swing next Friday (Feb. 7) at Adams State. The women play at 5 p.m. while the men play approximately 20 minutes after.
