Lone Star Conference Women's Basketball Weekly Release (01/15/18)

1. Angelo State | Cameron | Eastern New Mexico | Midwestern State | Tarleton State | Texas A&M-Commerce
Texas A&M-Kingsville | Texas Woman’s | UT Permian Basin | West Texas A&M | Western New Mexico
www.lonestarconference.org | 1221 W. Campbell Rd. Suite 171, Richardson, Texas 75080 | Phone: 972-234-0033 | Fax: 972-234-4110
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 15, 2018
Contact: Melanie Robotham, (972) 234-0033 Ext. 103
LONE STAR CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WEEKLY RELEASE
January 15, 2018
LSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Commerce lead the Lone Star Conference standings with identical 7-1 league records.
Saturday’s game between the Lady Buffs and Lions will be streamed on WatchESPN and the ESPN App as part of the
Division II Basketball Showcase.
League play rolls on this week with one game Tuesday, five Thursday and five Saturday.
The LSC women are 83-85 overall. The women’s squads are currently 19-17 combined against the Heartland, and 10-
12 versus RMAC teams, which are the other conferences in the NCAA South Central Region.
LSC schedule and results available here: http://www.lonestarconference.org/calendar.aspx?path=wbball&&
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Keanna Kelly, Angelo State University, SR, Guard, Arlington, Texas, Mansfield Summit
Kelly led the Rambelles in scoring at 17 points per game including a game-high 15 points to help Angelo State upset
previously unbeaten No. 2 West Texas A&M. The senior hit three 3-pointers in the win over WT and handed out five
assists. She followed it up with a 19-point performance in a win against UT Permian Basin. For the week, Kelly shot 57.1
percent from the field and 46.2 percent from behind the arc. The Arlington native also recorded 4.0 assists per game and
4.0 rebounds per game in the two victories.
DEFENSIVE
Marquita Daniels, Angelo State University, SR, Guard, Atlanta, Georgia, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Daniels defensive efforts including four steals per game were instrumental in Angelo State going 2-0 last week. The
senior's defensive pressure helped force No. 2 West Texas A&M into 26 turnovers including her four steals. The Belles
were able to limit WT and UT Permian Basin to just 34.2 percent from the field and only 54.0 points per game. The
Atlanta native averaged 13 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per contest last week.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
N-15 Desiree Phipps, Texas Woman's
N-21 Brianna Wise, Texas A&M-Commerce
N-27 Madison Parker, West Texas A&M
D-4 Brianna Wise, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)
D-11 Whitney Taylor, Midwestern State

2. D-20 Lexy Hightower, West Texas A&M
J-8 McKinley Bostad, Tarleton State
J-15 Keanna Kelly, Angelo State
Defensive
N-15 Deleyah Harris, West Texas A&M
N-21 Artaejah Gay, Texas A&M-Commerce
N-27 De'Anira Moore, Angelo State
D-4 Lejha Smith, Cameron
D-11 Marquita Daniels, Angelo State
D-20 De'Anira Moore, Angelo State (2)
J-8 Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton State
J-15 Marquita Daniels, Angelo State (2)
OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
Brianna Wise, Texas A&M University-Commerce, continued her scoring ways for the Lions last week, averaging 24.0
points to go along with 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. She shot better than 46 percent from the field and 83 percent from
the free throw line. Wise scored 21 points in the Lions' 68-62 win over Tarleton State and had five assists and nine
rebounds. She got to the free throw line 14 times in the game, helping to put the game away for the Lions in the final
minutes. She then had 27 points in the Lions' 80-73 win over Texas Woman's. She was a perfect 10-for-10 from the foul
line and grabbed nine rebounds. Wise has scored 20+ points eight times this season and is tied for leading scorer in the
LSC, averaging 17.0 points per game. She has four of the top 10 scoring games in the LSC this season.
McKinley Bostad, Tarleton State University, had a career day while leading Tarleton to its first road win at Texas
Woman's since 2012 when the TexAnns beat the Pioneers 71-67 Thursday. Bostad scored a career high 24 points against
Texas Woman's, including 11 in the fourth quarter to help erase a 10-point, second-quarter deficit. Bostad was 7-13
shooting from the floor, including 4-5 from downtown, and 6-8 of the free throw line on Thursday. In two games for the
week, Bostad averaged 18.5 points on .393 shooting from the floor and .500 shooting from beyond the arc. She also
filled up the stat sheet with six assists, a block, and seven steals, including five against Texas Woman's.
Mikaehla Connor, Eastern New Mexico University, turned in another strong week for the Hounds and averaged 17.5
points with 7.0 rebounds over two Lone Star Conference road games. Her aggressive play also sent her to the free-throw
line 20 times. Connor paced ENMU with 19 points, seven rebounds and a pair of assists at Midwestern State. She also
had 16 points, seven boards, two assists and a pair of blocked shots at Cameron.
Jamie Bonnarens, Cameron University, averaged 15 points during the Aggies 1-1 split last weekend against Eastern
and Western New Mexico. The LSC's leading scorer scored 17 points in the loss to the Greyhounds and then went for 13
points in the first half against the Mustangs before sitting out for most of the second half. Bonnarens also averaged 6.5
points and had five assists in the two game stretch.
Micheline Mercelita, Midwestern State University, produced her fourth double-double of the season against
Western New Mexico to lead MSU past the Mustangs. The senior shot 54% from the field, scoring 14 points and
grabbing 10 rebounds. She came up big in the Mustangs win on Saturday against Eastern New Mexico, scoring 13 points
and narrowly missing a double-double with nine rebounds. Against WNMU, Mercelita recorded a season-high three
steals as MSU turned the Mustangs over a season-high 31 times. She's now scored in double-figures in six of the last
seven games.
Melody McLaughlin, Western New Mexico, went for a season-high 14 points against Cameron, as she went 4-11
from the field, 3-5 from three and 3-4 at the foul line. She also passed out three assists and had both a block and steal.

3. She was approaching a double-double against Midwestern State with eight points and seven rebounds, while coming
away with three steals.
Ciara Fields, Western New Mexico, led the defense with 20 rebounds, 12 coming on the defensive end, while also
sending back three blocks and coming away with three steals. She opened the week with a double-double going for 16
points and 14 rebounds against Midwestern State. It was a big game for Fields, as she also had three blocks and three
steals in that game. She added six rebounds and six points versus Cameron.
Lejha Smith, Cameron University, bolstered the Aggie defense as CU went 1-1 this weekend. The junior recorded a
double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds while blocking five shots against Eastern New Mexico and then followed
that up with five points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and two steals against Western New Mexico. Smith helped hold the
Greyhounds and Mustangs to a an averaged of 57.5 points and a field goal percentage of under 35 percent. She
averaged nine points 9.5 rebounds while improving her free throw percentage by going 6-9 from the charity stripe over
the two game span.
Micheline Mercelita, Midwestern State University, produced her fourth double-double of the season and helped the
MSU defense hold Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico to just 31.7% from the field and 52.0 points per game
this weekend. Against Western New Mexico, the senior shot 54% from the field, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10
rebounds. She came up big in the Mustangs win on Saturday against Eastern New Mexico, scoring 13 points and
narrowly missing a double-double with nine rebounds. Against WNMU, Mercelita recorded a season-high three steals as
MSU turned the Mustangs over a season-high 31 times. She's now scored in double-figures in six of the last seven
games.
Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton State University, averaged 9.0 rebounds per game in two games for the TexAnns, once
again leading a strong defensive effort. In Thursday's game at Texas Woman's, she grabbed nine rebounds, blocked a
shot, and had four steals to go along with 16 points to lead Tarleton to its first road win at Texas Woman's since 2012.
For the week, she had 29 points and 18 rebounds to go along with six assists, two blocks, and eight steals.
Brandi Gomez, Eastern New Mexico University, led a standout defensive effort by the Eastern New Mexico
University women's basketball team over last week's LSC road trip. The Hounds limited the opposition to a .306 shooting
percentage with a .265 conversion rate from three-point range. In Thursday's win at Cameron, ENMU allowed just three
fourth-quarter field goals (.158). The team topped that effort with just one field goal allowed (.071) in the third quarter
against Midwestern State. Gomez had three steals and a blocked shot to go along with seven points at Cameron. She
followed with 12 points, five rebounds and a steal at Midwestern State.
Princess Davis, Texas A&M University-Commerce, helped lead the Lion defense to holding opponents to less than 37
percent shooting. Davis had a steal in A&M-Commerce's 68-62 win over Tarleton State and was a key component in the
Lions holding the TexAnns to just 32 percent shooting in the game. Davis was also key on the offensive end, scoring 11
pionts. Davis then had two steals in the Lions' 80-73 win over Texas Woman's. She also had 15 points and six assists.
Davis is tied for third in the LSC in assist average, is fourth in assist to turnover ratio, ninth in steals and fifth in minutes
per game.
LSC NOTES (Submitted by LSC SID’s)
Angelo State
2-0 last week.
Cameron
Cameron split their weekend against the New Mexico schools as they fell late to Eastern New Mexico and then
convincingly took down the Mustangs. The CU defense showed up big, limiting the opposition to just 57.5 points while
racking up 10 blocks and 16 steals. Jamie Bonnarens averaged 15 points while Ava Battese chipped in with 10.5 per

4. contest. Lejha Smith was a half rebound and a point away from averaging a double-double while also blocking seven
shots and recording three steals.
Eastern New Mexico
The Eastern New Mexico women's basketball team split a pair of Lone Star Conference contests in last week's road trip.
In both games, the Greyhound defense took center stage, limiting Cameron to three-for-19 from the floor in the fourth
quarter on Thursday and Midwestern State to one-for-14 in the third quarter on Saturday. Mikaehla Connor paced the
Hounds with 17.5 points per game, while Daeshi McCants registered the ninth double double of her career. This week,
ENMU will host Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State.
Midwestern State
The Midwestern State Mustangs went 2-0 this past week, knocking off Western New Mexico (64-47) and Eastern New
Mexico (73-57). The Maroon and Gold forced a season-high 31 turnovers in the win over WNMU while holding the
Mustangs to just 26.7% from the field. Against the Greyhounds, MSU rattled off a season-high 47 first half points to build
an insurmountable lead against ENMU, shooting a season-high 50 free throws in the 16 point win. Micheline Mercelita
led the Mustangs in both games, while producing her fourth double-double of the season against WNMU.
Tarleton State
Tarleton went 1-1 last week and will hit the road Thursday and Saturday to visit West Texas A&M and UT Permian Basin.
Texas A&M-Commerce
The Lions have now won six Lone Star Conference games in a row, tying a program record for most consecutive
conference victories. The Lions are currently 7-1 and in a tie for first place. It is the best start to a conference season in
program history. The Lions lead the LSC in free throws made and offensive rebounding average and are tied for the lead
in rebound average. They will face UT Permian Basin on the road on Thursday and West Texas A&M on Saturday as part
of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase on ESPN.
Texas A&M-Kingsville
1-1 last week.
Texas Woman’s
0-2 last week.
UT Permian Basin
0-2 last week.
West Texas A&M
1-1 last week.
Western New Mexico
The Lady Mustangs made things interesting against Midwestern State, as it was just a one-point game at halftime.
WNMU kept it close throughout most of the third quarter before MSU pulled away for the win. Cameron had a similar
run in the game on Saturday, as WNMU was tied at 19 through the first 10 minutes before the Aggies used a pair of
strong quarters in both the second and third frames for the win. Melody McLaughlin and Ciara Fields each paced the
offense with 22 points, while Fields pulled down 20 rebounds, along with three blocks and five steals.

5. McLaughlin went for a season-high 14 points against Cameron, as she went 4-11 from the field, 3-5 from three and 3-4
at the foul line. She also passed out three assists and had both a block and steal. She was approaching a double-double
against Midwestern State with eight points and seven rebounds, while coming away with three steals.
Fields led the defense with 20 rebounds, 12 coming on the defensive end, while also sending back three blocks and
coming away with three steals. She opened the week with a double-double going for 16 points and 14 rebounds against
Midwestern State. It was a big game for Fields, as she also had three blocks and three steals in that game. She added six
rebounds and six points versus Cameron.
# LSC #