PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico women's basketball takes a midweek trip to Colorado to face two RMAC opponents. First, the Hounds will stop in Denver, Colo. to take on Regis University on Wednesday night, Nov. 17, with first tip scheduled for 7 p.m. The next day, Eastern will travel to Golden, Colo. to face nationally ranked T-#23 Colorado School of Mines, on Thursday, Nov. 18, with a start time of 5:30 p.m. The Orediggers received the national ranking from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) in its preseason poll on Nov. 2.

ON THE AIR

Thursday's game will be broadcast on 105.9 KSEL-FM and KSELCountry.com with Donald "Doc" Elder calling the action. Games will also be broadcast on 106.5 KEND in Roswell and Artesia.

LAST TIME OUT

The Hounds come into this week's games off the back of two wins at the LSC/RMAC Conference Challenge, held in Silver City, N.M., hosted by Western New Mexico University. The Hounds grabbed their first win in a 76-57 victory over Fort Lewis College. Laura Rowe led the way with 17 points on 5-9 of shooting, 3-5 from range, and 4-4 from the free throw line. The next night, ENMU provided a comeback win over New Mexico Highlands University, 56-51. Natalie Stice recorded a double-double, 18 points and 11 rebounds, while going 7-8 from the free throw line.

SCOUTING THE HOUNDS

Eastern's offense is providing 66.0 points per game (ppg), with a 40.3 % field goal percentage (FG%), along with a three-point percentage (3PT%) of 32.4%, and shooting 64.9% from the free throw line. The Hounds are finding 41.0 rebounds per game (rpg), and 9.5 assists per game (apg). Defensively, ENMU are collecting 5.5 steals per game (spg), and 2.0 blocks per game (bpg).

Stice is the teams leading scorer with 13.5 ppg, while also leading the team in rebounds with 7.5 rpg. Kamirah Decker is contributing 12.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg, while Anasha Hurst is finding 10.0 ppg in their first two games. MeMe Amand provides 6.5 boards, and Bella Stone leads the team with 4.0 apg.

Currently, the Hounds are holding opponents to 54.0 ppg and 28.8 % from the field, which stands in 4^th and 1^st in the LSC after the first week, respectively. Eastern is also one of the top rebounding teams, finding 41.0 rpg (3^rd in LSC), along with holding teams to just 28.5 rpg (2^nd in LSC).

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION 

Regis University
 
The Rangers, 2-0, opened its season with a pair of victories over two LSC programs. First, Regis beat St. Edward's University 62-57 on Friday evening, then pulled off a 66-58 win over St. Mary's University on Saturday afternoon.

Regis is averaging 64.0 ppg on 36.2% shooting, while shooting 26.8 % from range, and 64.1 % from the free throw line. The offense is posting 14.0 apg, while on the boards, the Rangers are finding 46.5 rpg. Regis' defense is finding 7.5 spg and 2.5 bpg.

Josey Ryan is the teams leading scorer with 14.5 ppg in the first two games, while Athena Saragoza adds 11.5 ppg to the offense. Morgan L. Smith provides 8.5 rpg, which leads the Rangers, and Erin Stroberg contributes 7.0 rpg.

T-#23 Colorado School of Mines University
 
The nationally ranked Orediggers also enter the week at 2-0, after wins against St. Mary's 80-54 on this past Friday, and a 66-52 victory over St. Edward's this past Saturday.

Mines are finding a scoring margin of 19.5 points ppg, with 72.5 ppg as a team, and holding opponents to just 53.0 ppg. The Orediggers hold a field goal percentage of 32.4%, 24.1% from three, and 72.7% from the charity stripe. Additionally, Mines are finding 45.0 rpg, 15.0 apg, 17.5 spg, and 1.0 bpg. The 17.5 steals stand tied for 6^th best in the nation, after their first two contests.

The Orediggers offense is led by Denali Pinto, who has posted 18.0 ppg in the opening two games of the season. Ashley Steffeck also contributes 10.0 ppg, while also leading the team in rebounds with 7.0 rpg. Sammy Van Sickle also is helps the team with 6.5 rpg.