Opening Tip
• NM State women's basketball (13-14, 8-7WAC) returns to the Pan-Am Thursday for its final regular season home game where the team will recognize six of its seniors for senior night.
• Shania Harper, Moe Shida, Soufia Inoussa, Janessa Johnson, Fama Thiam and Tayelin Grays will all be recognized with a short ceremony at the conclusion of the game versus UT Arlington.
• The Aggies are coming off a week where the split a pair of home games versus Seattle U (W, 56-47) and California Baptist (L, 73-65) moving them to 8-7 in conference play.
• UT Arlington is in the midst of a three-game win streak recently defeating Seattle U (75-49), Sam Houston (106-102) and Abilene Christian (82-73).
• The all-time series between the two programs is tied at two apiece with the Aggies winning the last two matchups back in 2013.
 
Last Time Out
• The Aggies dropped their last matchup to California Baptist (73-65) last Saturday in another game that came down to the wire.
• Molly Kaiser eclipsed double digits for the 18^th time this season, and the eighth time in the last ten games.
• Moe Shida recorded a career high in rebounds (5), less than 48 hours after setting season-highs in points (7), minutes (27) and steals (3) against Seattle.
• With her 14 point performance, Taylor Donaldson has scored in double figures in each of the last three contests.
• Tayelin Grays matched a season high in rebounds (9) and nearly produced her third double-double performance of the season after scoring 15 for the game.
• Once again, the Aggies were menaces on the defensive side of the ball forcing the Lancers to 15 turnovers – the 24^th time this season they have forced an opponent to 15 or more turnovers. For compression, the Aggies have only played 27 games this season and have just three contests remaining.
• The Aggies had their third best performance from the charity stripe percentage wise shooting 11-16 from the line (68.8%)
• Both teams were crashing the defensive glass with each grabbing 28 boards. However, The Aggies recorded the second most defensive rebounds this season needing just two more to match a season high.
 
 
 
Defense. Defense. Defense
• NM State is allowing just 60.6 points a game this season to opponents, the second-best scoring defense in the WAC this season.
• The Aggies possess one of the best turnover margins in the country, tallying the 27th best turnover margin nationally (+4.759) and best margin in the WAC. As a team, NM State forces 19.2 turnovers a contest, which is 37th best in the nation and third best in the WAC.
• Additionally, NM State ranks 40th in the nation in steals per game (9.8) and fourth in the WAC.
 
Seniors
• Six Aggies will be making their final appearance in front of the home fans Thursday night.
• Shania Harper, Moe Shida, Soufia Inoussa, Janessa Johnson, Fama Thiam and Tayelin Grays will all be recognized with a short ceremony at the conclusion of the game versus UT Arlington.
• Grays, Inoussa and Harper are to three longest tenured Aggies with Grays playing the last five seasons under with the Aggies and Inoussa and Harper playing their last four seasons with the team. The other three seniors all have called Las Cruces their home for the past two seasons.

Changing the Landscape
• In her first season as Head Coach, Jody Adams has jumpstarted the Aggies to their best record in conference play (8-7) since the 2018-2019 season when the team finished the year 15-1 in WAC play and went on to win the WAC Tournament.
• After the season got out to a slow 3-7 start, the Aggies have shifted their narrative winning ten of the next 17 games played, including five wins on the road.
• Last season, the Aggies went 0-12 on the road overall and have improved to six road wins this season. This marks the most road victories since the 18-19 season (11-5 road record).
• With 13 wins on the year, Adams has surpassed the Aggies win total from last season (10), with three contests still left to be played.
 
Scouting the Lady Mavs
• UT Arlington (13-14, 7-8 WAC) sits eigth in the WAC conference standings, just one spot behind of the Aggies who rank seventh in WAC play.
• As of now, the Lancers sit one spot ahead of the Aggies in the new WAC resume seeding system ranking seventh with -1.49 points.
• WAC Preseason Player of the Year Starr Jacobs leads the team in scoring (17.1), rebounds (8.1) and steals (3.2). Jacobs's 3.2 steals per game also ranks as the tenth best average in the nation.
• UTA is averaging 71.5 points per game this season, which is the fifth best scoring output in the WAC. The Lady Mavs allow a conference worst 73.4 points a game to opponents.
• The Lady Mavs also struggle with shooting the three-ball averaging 28.9 percent from behind the arc – right around where the Aggies shoot from three (26.7%).
 
Up Next
• NM State will only have two more regular season matchups remaining, both will be on the road as the Aggies prepare to head to WAC standing leader Stephen F. Austin, and Sam Houston before heading to Vegas for the WAC Tournament. The Aggies have already clinched their spot in the 2023 WAC WBB Tournament which is scheduled to take place March 6-11 from the Michelob ULTRA Arena and The Orleans Arena.