- Game Notes (PDF)

CANYON, Texas – The #12 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M open the 2019-20 campaign on Friday afternoon as they head to Orange, California to take part in the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) Tipoff Classic on the campus of Santiago Canyon College with a showdown against Cal Poly Pomona with tipoff set for 3:00 p.m. CT.
 
WT HEAD COACH KRISTEN MATTIO
Kristen Mattio has continued the storied tradition of Lady Buff Basketball as she enters her fourth season at the helm of the West Texas A&M in 2019-20. Mattio has registering an overall record of 112-23 during her time in Canyon for a winning percentage of 83% as the Nashville native is the second fastest head coach in program history to reach the 100-win plateau with a 95-78 decision at Cameron on February 2, 2019.
 
CAL POLY POMONA
Cal Poly Pomona is guided by 10th year head coach Danielle Bishop who has led the Broncos to five NCAA Tournament Appearances including three Sweet 16's, a pair of Elite Eights and a Final Four showing in 2014. She owns a win-loss record of 181-86 in nine seasons at the helm of the CPP women's basketball program, and with 16 years of head coaching experience (including four seasons at Azusa Pacific and three at California Baptist), Bishop is 319-171, a .651 winning percentage.
 
The Broncos finished the 2018-19 campaign with an overall record of 25-6 as they finished California Commissioner's Athletic Association (CCAA) action with a 19-3 mark to finish second in the league. CPP advanced to the CCAA Title Game with wins over Sonoma State and Cal State East Bay before falling to then #2 UC San Diego 72-60. The Broncos claimed an at-large bid into the West Regional Tournament as they fell to then #24 Asuza Pacific (62-60) in the opening round.
 
CPP landed in second in the CCAA Preseason Poll as they lose first team All-CCAA selection Jordyn Shane who has transitioned to the staff as program assistant for the 2019-20 season. However, the team returns forward tandem of All-CCAA second-teamer Rebecca Islas and honorable mention selection Monica Todd from an experienced squad that is comprised of 10 upperclassmen, including two NCAA Division I transfers in Leilia Orji (Seattle University) and Mikaylah Wilson (San Jose State).
 
Islas leads a experienced team that includes eight senior as the Boyle Heights, California native went 130-of-324 (40.1%) from the floor last season including 31-of-116 (26.7%) from deep and 86-of-126 (68.3%) from the charity stripe to average 12.2 points per contest to go along with 227 total rebounds (7.3/game), 54 assists, 42 steals and 13 blocks.
 
Friday's season opener will mark the first meeting between West Texas A&M and Cal Poly Pomona in 31 years as the Broncos hold the 2-1 all-time series advantage. It will mark the first neutral site meeting between the two teams as all three of the previous meetings have come in Pomona. The Broncos claimed a pair of regular season victories in 1983 and 1988 whule the Lady Buffs registered a 73-56 win on March 19, 1988 to send WT to a 32-0 overall record and the National Semifinals as they would eventually fall to the Hampton Institute in the National Title Game (65-48).
 
WINNING TRADITION
The 2018-19 season marked the seventh-straight year of 20 or more wins for the Lady Buffs. WT won 30 or more games in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and have 30 wins in six seasons since 1980-81. The Lady Buffs have not had a losing season since 1980-81 and have won 20 or more games in 28 seasons during that span with a string of nine-straight from 1983-1992.
 
WBCA DIVISION II TOP-25 POLL (OCT. 31)
The Drury Panters begin the 2019-20 campaign atop of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Top-25 poll as they picked up eight of the possible 23 first place votes for a total of 550 points. Lubbock Christian claimed 14 first place votes (538) to sit second followed by Grand Valley State (458), Azusa Pacific (436), Virginia Union (404), UC San Diego (394), Fort Hays State (368), Ashland (333), Indiana, Pa. (330) and Saint Anselm (328) to round out the top ten.
 
The South Central Region was represented by Lubbock Christian (2nd), West Texas A&M (12th), Angelo State (24th), Colorado Mesa (RV) and Westminster (RV).
 
HOME SWEET HOME
West Texas A&M is home to one of the finest multi-purpose facilities in the country as the First United Bank Center has served as the home of the Lady Buffs since January 26, 2002. The Lady Buffs are a staggering 217-32 inside of the FUBC during that time for a winning clip of 87.1%. WT has averaged 1,077 fans per contest since the facility opened its doors with the largest crowd coming on Opening Night with 4,941 members of Buff Nation seeing the Lady Buffs take on rival Abilene Christian.
 
NEW LOOK LSC
The Lone Star Conference welcomes seven new women's basketball members for the 2019-20 campaign with Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma Christian, St. Edward's, St. Mary's, Texas A&M International, Arkansas-Fort Smith and UT Tyler. The league will now be comprised of three six-team divisions as each institution will play a home/away contest against each of the other teams within their division, and a single game versus the other 12 conference opponents.
 
Divisional champions and seeding for the LSC Championship will be determined by winning percentage within each division and by using overall league winning percentage and head-to-head matchups as tie-breakers. The LSC Championship returns to Frisco, Texas and the Comerica Center on March 5-8.
 
LSC BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
The defending LSC Champion Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M have been picked second in the 2019-20 LSC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll while senior guard Lexy Hightower earned Preseason Player of the Year honors.
 
Defending National Champion Lubbock Christian picked up 33 of the possible 54 first place votes for a total of 813 points to sit atop of the poll followed by West Texas A&M (14 first place, 787), Angelo State (one first place, 733), Texas A&M-Commerce (two first place, 667) and Tarleton (two first place, 645) to round out the top five. 
 
Eastern New Mexico (one first place, 617) ranked sixth followed by St. Mary's (550), Midwestern State (456), St. Edward's (448), Texas Woman's (407), Arkansas-Fort Smith (one first place, 339), Oklahoma Christian (301), Texas A&M-Kingsville (288), Cameron (284), Western New Mexico (222), UT Permian Basin (172), UT Tyler (171) and Texas A&M International (76).
 
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hightower cemented herself as one of the top all-around players in Division II Basketball during her junior campaign in 2018-19 as the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year went 205-of-400 (51.3%) from the floor including 83-of-179 (46.4%) from behind the arc and 42-of-56 (75%) from the free throw line to lead the Lady Buffs in scoring with 16.2 points per contest to go along with 62 assists, three blocks and 36 steals while averaging 30.5 minutes per game. 
 
The former Amarillo High Lady Sandie became the 22nd member of the 1,000 Career Point Club back on January 26th as she enters her senior campaign as the 15th leading scorer in program history (1,278), Hightower picked up D2CCA Honorable Mention All-American accolades while being named a Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American for the second straight season.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Buffs fought back to force overtime but couldn't come away with a comeback victory on back-to-back days as they ended their season in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Semifinals with a 73-70 defeat at the hands of Angelo State at the First United Bank Center.
 
The Lady Buffs were led offensively by Tyesha Taylor who went 8-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from the charity stripe to score 19 points while grabbing three rebounds to go along with two blocks and two steals in her final game in Maroon & White. Deleyah Harris led all players with 13 points to go along with eight points while Lexy Hightower chipped in 17 points in the loss.
 
Marquita Daniels led the way for the Belles as the senior guard went 6-of-13 from the floor including 4-of-6 from behind the arc and 7-of-12 at the free throw line to score a game-high 23 points followed by De'Anira Moore with 18 on the night, Maria Delgado grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the way defensively.
 
WT finished the game going 25-of-60 (41.7%) from the field including 7-of-23 (30.4%) from behind the arc and 13-of-21 (61.9%) from the free throw line with 40 total rebounds (10 offensive, 30 defensive), 14 assists, 18 turnovers, four blocks and seven steals on the night.
 
The Belles finished the game going 26-of-67 (38.8%) from the floor including 8-of-16 (50%) from deep and 13-of-23 (56.5%) from the charity stripe with 33 rebounds (10 offensive, 23 defensive), nine assists, 11 turnovers, one block and five steals in the win.