KINGSVILLE, Texas – Attempting to bounce back from losses in their first two games, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball team returns to the Lone Star State for a date with the St. Mary's University Rattlers on Tuesday at Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio, Texas with opening tip-off at 5:30 p.m.
Victoria Salinas put together the best performance for the Hoggies over the weekend, scoring 11 points against Chadron State and hitting a trio of three-pointers. Coach
Wade Scott also got a 14-rebound performance out of junior
Tatyana McFarland on Saturday.
Shaq DeBose and
Kristina Kana tied for the team lead with seven points against Black Hills State on Friday.
St. Mary's will also be attempting notch its first victory after dropping matchups on Friday and Saturday in the Tarleton State University Classic. They fell to Texas Women's University by seven in the first contest and lost to Tarleton State by three the next night. In 2016-17, the Rattlers compiled a record of 21-7 and went 12-4 in the Heartland Conference but lost in the conference tournament semifinals. This meeting will be their first home game of the new season.
The Rattlers entered this season attempting to replace two of their three leading scores from last season, including Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-American Kiara Etheridge, who ended her career as the only player in school history with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Their team's top returning student-athlete is junior guard Arysia Porter, who was an all-conference honorable mention choice. The San Antonio native averaged 12.6 points per game, led the team by shooting 86% from the free throw line and was also second on the squad in rebounds per game. In her team's three-point loss to Tarleton, she poured in a game-high 17.
Tuesday will mark the eighth time in the last five seasons these two programs have met. For three consecutive years beginning in 2013-14, the Rattlers and the Javelinas played twice and St. Mary's won all six contests. TAMUK earned a measure of revenge exactly one year ago with a 63-54 road victory.
Kaylin Roher totaled 13 points and
Jaiton Walls added 10 while
Kaylee Kana pulled down 14 rebounds. In the all-time series, the Javs own a 24-22 advantage.
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