Kingsville - Four games into its regular season, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball team is back in the SPEC for its first home games of the regular season, with top-ranked matchups against No.5 Texas Woman's (Thursday, 5:30 p.m.), and RV UT-Tyler (Saturday, 1:00 p.m.).

The weekend begins with a matchup against the Pioneers, who the Javelinas played very close when they faced off last year in Denton. It will mark the first Lone Star Conference game of the season for Kingsville, which is looking for its first win of the season. The young team, which features seven freshmen and five transfers in their first year with the program, has been showing strong signs of improvement despite its record. It has proved a formidable foe on the glass, holding opponents to the third-fewest total rebounds in the LSC (31.8). It has also posted the eighth-best scoring defense in the conference so far in the young season, holding opponents to 63.0 points per game.

"We have gotten better every day we have had an opportunity to be on the floor together," Head Coach Michael Madrid said. "Saw a lot of good this past weekend and we continue to piece together our chemistry offensively. Defensively, we haven't been terrible. Not where we want to be, but not terrible."

Texas Woman's holds a slight edge (39-32) in the all-time head-to-head record between the two programs, and has won the last eight matchups in a row with the Javelinas.

Scouting the Competition: No.5 The Texas Woman's University Pioneers

The Pioneers are off to another stellar start this season, sitting at 5-1 and bringing a four-game winning streak into the weekend. The Pioneers are riding a huge win, having knocked off No.8 Pittsburg State by 25 in Kansas last Tuesday. 

TWU's matchup with the Javelinas will be its second of three straight road games as LSC play begins for last year's East Division Champs. The Pioneers' offense has led the way for them early in the year, boasting the third-highest scoring offense in the conference and the second-best scoring margin (43rd in the nation). Their 47.9 percent shooting from the field paces the conference (ninth in the nation). 

Senior forward Gabby Elliot has fueled that offense, averaging a double-double through six games, which includes 17.5 points per game (third in the LSC) and 10.2 rebounds per game (second in the LSC) on a stellar 56.5 percent shooting from the field (fourth in the LSC). Her defense has been stellar as well, with 13 blocks on the season (third in the LSC). In total, four different Pioneers average at least 10 points per game, and three shoot at least 50% from the field on the season.

"I don't know that you slow down good offensive teams more than you work to contest shots, be matched up and make them work for points," Madrid said. "They are experienced and well-coached. That's always a tough matchup."

Javelina Quick Hitters:

The team is coming off one of its best quarters of the season, having scored a season-high 17 points in the fourth quarter against Washburn, outsourcing the Ichabods by seven in the frame
Sophomore forward Thalia Daniels has had a strong start to her career in the blue and gold, averaging the second-most points per game on the team and leading the squad on the glass with 6.8 rebounds per game (ninth in the LSC)
Freshman forward Justine Aguilar has been excellent in her first four games of collegiate basketball - she leads the team in scoring despite having not yet started a game for the Javelinas
Aguilar also ranks near the top of the country in free throw percentage, having made 15 of the 16 that she has attempted so far this season (21st in the nation, second in the LSC)