Kingsville - Four different Javelinas scored in double figures for the Texas A&M - Kingsville women's basketball team, leading the team to an 80-44 win over West Texas A&M in TAMUK's home opener.
Not only did Kingsville post its largest scoring total of the season, but it also held WT to its lowest. The game snapped the Lady Buffs' four game-winning streak, on which they grabbed both of their season's Lone Star Conference wins.
The offense came from everywhere for TAMUK, who had six different players score at least eight points, led by junior forward
Shelby Ray and senior forward
Janessa Payne, who each had 13. Every single healthy Javelina on the roster scored at least two points in the contest.
Ray paired her scoring with an all-around stat-stuffing performance, collecting 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. She was one of two Javelinas - junior guard
Aina Maynou being the other - to drop five dimes, four had at least three assists. Senior
Abby Bala had three assists to go along with her 12 points, three boards, and a steal. Senior forward
Veyda Lake and sophomore forward
Kaycee Groves combined for 19 points off the bench while shooting a stellar 9-of-12 from the field.
"We're really versatile, we can score in a lot of ways," Head Coach
Michael Madrid said. "I think we can play multiple ways offensively, we just have a lot of really good players that are versatile and can score the ball."
The team's performance on the defensive side of the ball was perhaps just as impressive, as the Lady Buffs had come into the game averaging the second-most points in the conference. Along with WT's 44-point total, TAMUK also held their visitors to 30.9% shooting from the field and 20% from three. The team allowed only one Lady Buff to reach double figures in scoring, and none to score more than five points while shooting above 50%.
"Defense travels, no matter where you're playing at, defense can go there and be a part of what you do," Madrid said. "We've emphasized it a lot over the years, I think we've been really good defensively. I think it was good to see the intensity level."
Kingsville blitzed WT out of the gate, taking a 19-to-4 lead after the first ten minutes, one of two quarters in the game where TAMUK held the Lady Buffs to single-digit points in a quarter.
From there, the team didn't let up, leading wire-to-wire and - despite giving up 21 fourth-quarter points - completing the 36-point win, the largest margin of victory for Kingsville this season.
Now, the team will turn toward its final game before Christmas break - a 1pm Tuesday matchup at home against Eastern New Mexico.
"They're a different type of team, so your mentality has to change in the way that you do things offensively and defensively," Madrid said. "We'll watch some film on them tonight, prep for them tomorrow, and then we'll give our very best effort on Tuesday."
