Daniel Severo

Women's Basketball 12/7/2022 12:02:00 PM Ryan Smith, Athletic Communications Coordinator

Women's basketball to take on No. 2 Lady Buffs and No. RV Lady Chaps in the SPEC

The Javelinas will faceoff with West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian in Kingsville, Texas

KINGSVILLE, Texas — The Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball team will host a pair of nationally recognized teams in the Steinke Physical Education Center this week, first taking on No. 2/4 West Texas A&M on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and No. NR/RV Lubbock Christian Saturday at 1 p.m. Additionally, the Javelinas will honor fall graduates on Graduate Appreciation Night on Thursday, ahead of a holiday-themed Deck the SPEC contest Saturday.

The Javelinas (4-2, 1-1 LSC) split last week after falling to No. NR/24 Angelo State 72-61, before battling to a 65-55 victory over UT Permian Basin. Sophomores Janessa Payne and Mia Rivers delivered standout performances, with Payne nailing eight triples at a 61.5% clip. In total, Payne averaged 14 PPG while snagging three rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Payne currently ranks seventh nationally in three-point percentage, with her season total at 57.1%.

Meanwhile, Rivers continued her stellar campaign with 13 PPG, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, and seven steals across the weekend. She leads the conference in assists, averaging 5.2 APG, and is the squad's top scorer at 12.5 PPG.

The No. 2 Lady Buffs (8-0, 2-0 LSC) have been perfect to start the year, picking up victories over then-No. 3 Fort Hays State, as well as a pair of teams receiving votes. Last time out, WT kicked off their conference slate, earning a 79-69 win over UAFS, ahead of a 66-51 victory against Oklahoma Christian.

The squad picked up right where it left off last season when the Lady Buffs reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. They lead the NCAA in defensive rebounds at 32.6 RPG and are one of 14 undefeated teams entering December. Defensively, three Lady Buffs average over a block per game, and the teams sit behind TAMUK as the second-best defensive team at the perimeter, allowing opponents to shoot just 23.1% from beyond the arc.

Karley Motschenbacher provides the bulk of the WT offense, as she leads the team in field goal percentage, at 48.6%, free throws made with 29, and in PPG at 15.3. Additionally, she is the squad's top rebounder at 7.9 RPG.

The No. RV Lady Chaps (6-2, 2-0 LSC) have also had a solid start to their season after falling to the Lady Buffs in last year's NCAA South Central Regional Championship game. They took down Oklahoma Christian 88-61 and dominated UAFS 76-49 in LSC action. Additionally, LCU will be looking for revenge as the Javelinas knocked off the Lady Chaps 59-42 last season, causing LCU to lose their No. 1 ranking.

LCU sits inside the top five in several LSC statistics, including field goal percentage at 44.3% and scoring offense at 76.1 PPG. Grace Foster is the league leaguer in double-doubles with three thus far in the season, as she averages 17.2 PPG and 10 RPG. In addition to Foster, Maci Maddox and Audrey Robertson each boast double-digit scoring averages. Maddox is second on the LSC steal leader board with 23 steals, and Reese Schuman paces the squad in blocks with 12.

Follow the Javelinas all season long by visiting javelinaathletics.com to find links to live stats and streaming information as well as a recap at the end of each contest. Javelina fans can purchase season tickets for Javelina men's and women's basketball at javelinaathletics.com/tickets for $50 through the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

To keep up-to-date with Javelina Women's Basketball, follow the program on Facebook /JavelinaWBB or Twitter @Javelina_WBB. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network.
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Players Mentioned

#35 Janessa Payne: G/F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#10 Mia Rivers: G; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#35 Janessa Payne
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G/F

#10 Mia Rivers
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: G

Players Mentioned

#35 Janessa Payne

#10 Mia Rivers

Players Mentioned

#35 Janessa Payne

#10 Mia Rivers