CANYON, TEXAS – No. 20 West Texas A&M Women's Basketball (1-1, 0-0 LSC) close out their three-game homestand on Monday, November 9 as they take on Wayland Baptist. Tip-off is set for 11:00 a.m. at the First United Bank Center.
 
Follow the Lady Buffs
Monday's game will be streamed live on Flo Sports (registration required). Live Stats will be provided by West Texas A&M. Tickets for the game can be purchased here.
 
Last Time Out
West Texas A&M opened up their season this past weekend against Southern Arkansas and No. 19 Tampa in the D2CCA Tipoff Classic.
 
Strong Defensive Play Pushes No. 20 Lady Buffs to Season Opening Win Over Southern Arkansas- October 30, 2026
The 20th ranked Lady Buffs set the tone early in the game with a 9-3 run after an inside finish by Taejhuan Hill. After giving up a three-pointer in the first two minutes, WT's defense did not allow another field goal in the first quarter until there were 59 seconds remaining in the first frame. During that time, West Texas A&M played with great pace off rebounds and crisply moved the ball to find open shots. WT made both of their three-point attempts as they held a 16-8 advantage after quarter one.
 
After building up an 11-point lead, Southern Arkansas used a 7-0 run to cut the lead down to four right before halftime. As WT forced a defensive stop with time ticking away, Zarai Lewis banked a running three-pointer to beat the buzzer giving West Texas A&M the 27-20 edge.
 
Moving into the second half, the Muleriders scored the first four points of the half cutting the lead back down to three points. The Lady Buffs responded with an avalanche run of 16-0 as the lead ballooned to 19 points at 43-24. During that run, Abbi Holder and Kerbie Cash drained back-to-back threes before Brooklyn Scurry muscled her way to an and-one in the paint as the FUBC roared to life. Holder sunk another three before Cash capped off the run with a layup. While momentum was on their side, SAU ended the half on an 11-0 run to set the score at 43-35 going to the fourth.
 
WT opened the fourth by bringing the lead back up to double digits with a 7-1 run with Cash splashing another three. SAU continued to fight every time WT looked to put the game away. In a four-minute stretch Southern Arkansas made four threes as the lead was brought down to a single possession at two points with the score set at 54-52 with 3:09 remaining. Hill scored a big bucket from the post to add insurance to lead, but the Muleriders got to two again with a pair of free throws. On their next possession, the Lady Buffs nearly turned the ball over right at halfcourt but were able to secure the ball. Off the scramble situation, Arissa Garcia fired a laser to a wide-open Holder in the paint who added two points. The Lubbock, Texas native in Holder came up big on the defensive end with a blocked shot and then drew a charge in that same sequence which was applauded by the packed FUBC crowd. The Lady Buffs closed the game out with more stout defense and free throws to secure a 61-54 season-opening win. After SAU cut the lead down to two with 3:09 remaining, they would be held without a field goal the remainder of the game.
 
Top Lady Buffs

• Abbi Holder paced the Lady Buffs with 19 points on an efficient 7/8 shooting while making all three of her three-pointers. Holder added three rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
• Kerbie Cash neared a double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds. She also drained three of her four three-point attempts.
• Taejhuan Hill notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds to go with a steal. Hill came away with five offensive rebounds.

 
No. 20 Lady Buffs Drop Tight Overtime Game to No. 19 Tampa
The Lady Buffs struck first in the game as they burst out to an early 12-3 advantage after Arissa Garcia nabbed a steal and then dropped a dime to Abbi Holder who finished the fast break layup. Tampa opened the game in a zone defense and WT was able to find a good offensive flow as they built up a 14-point lead after a jumper by Taylor Haggan. West Texas A&M would lead 19-8 after one.
 
In the second quarter, WT kept distance against the Spartans, but they started to chip into the lead after going 4/6 from three and 7/12 overall in the second quarter. The Lady Buffs were able to answer and halt runs, but their lead would be cut down to 31-27 going into halftime.
 
Now in the second half, the Lady Buffs were able to get into the paint to fend off Tampa as they continued to cut into the lead. Garcia knocked down a jumper with 1:12 remaining to give WT a 42-37 lead. The Spartans closed out the quarter with a three and then layup as the game would be tied at 42 headed into the final frame.
 
To start the fourth, Tampa took their first lead since the opening minutes from a layup. The Lady Buffs were able to retake the lead and push it up to five points, but UT scored a three-pointer on three of their next four possessions as they led 57-55 with 2:06 left. With one minute remaining, Kerbie Cash tied the game on a reverse layup before Abbi Holder came away with a big steal with 36 seconds remaining. WT called timeout and went to Cash where she drove down the lane was fouled on her layup attempt. She split her free throws to give West Texas A&M the lead. Tampa called timeout and went to their post in Ryan Franklin for the win. Taejhuan Hill matched up against Franklin where she held her ground as Franklin tried to back her down. Hill forced a tough layup in the paint which missed as Cash grabbed the rebound and would be fouled. Cash again split the pair as WT led 61-59 with six seconds left. On Tampa's final possession of regulation, they went to Maddie O'Berski who drove down the lane and nearly walked on a travel but scored the two as the game headed into overtime.
 
To start the five minutes of free basketball, Cash cashed a top of the key three on the opening possession which was followed by a turnover and then jumper by Haggan on the 5-0 spurt. That lead carried down to 2:07 after Holder finished in the paint. UT responded with an instant layup of their own before two free throws and a jumper gave them a 69-68 advantage with 14 seconds left. WT had a costly turnover as they were forced to foul Tampa who knocked down both free throws with three seconds left. The Lady Buffs advanced the ball with a timeout and needed a three to force a second overtime. To tie the game, WT went to Cash on the wing who took one dribble and pulled up for three. She would take contact on her shot, but no call was made as her shot would miss as the buzzer expired. The score would finalize at 71-68 in favor of No. 19 Tampa.
 
 Top Lady Buffs

• Taylor Haggan led WT with 15 points on an efficient 7/13 shooting. She added four assists, three rebounds, and a steal and block.
• Abbi Holder produced 10 points on 4/7 shooting with two steals.
• Taejhuan Hill neared a double-double with nine points and rebounds (four offensive). Hill also tallied three assists and two steals.  

 
LSC Preseason Poll
The Lady Buffs come into this season projected to finish second in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Preseason Poll while being ranked No. 20 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Preseason Poll.
 
2026-27 LSC Preseason Poll
1. Texas Woman's (828 points, 31 first place votes)          
2. West Texas A&M (794 points, 10 first place votes)
3. UT Tyler (755 points, nine first place votes)
4. Lubbock Christian (743 points)
5. Eastern New Mexico (644 points, one first place votes)
6. Angelo State (594 points)
7. St. Mary's (540 points)
8. UT Dallas (491 points)
9. UT Permian Basin (484 points)
10. St. Edward's (384 points)
11. Texas A&M International (322 points)
12. Oklahoma Christian (301 points)
13. Midwestern State (283 points)
14. Texas A&M-Kingsville (278 points)
15. Cameron (167 point)
16. Western New Mexico (109 point)
17. Sul Ross State (86 point)
 
West Texas A&M is coming off a 2025-26 season where they produced a 28-5 record headlined by a 19-game winning streak. The Lady Buffs finished second in the conference standings and reached the LSC Tournament Championship. WT would go dancing to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season but were defeated in the opening round against UT Tyler.
 
Head Coach Josh Prock enters his sixth season at the helm of the Lady Buffs ahead of the season. Prock has guided WT to the NCAA Tournament in four of his five seasons with an Elite Eight appearance in 2021-22. He holds a 112-53 record in his tenure with three 20+ win seasons.
 
This year's roster will feature a plethora of new players including LSC Preseason Player of the Year Kerbie Cash. Cash is a junior wing transferring from Midwestern State where she was the conference's Freshman of the Year in 2024-25 while being a two-time All-Conference selection. She was a First Team honoree this past year while being named to the Third Team her freshman year. Last season, the Wylie, Texas native averaged 16.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists for the Mustangs to go with 2.4 stocks and nine double-doubles.
 
Returning this year for the Lady Buffs will be Abbi Holder, Anna Ferrel, Taylor Haggan, and Brooklyn Scurry. Haggan leads the bunch as a Second Team All-LSC Selection last year after averaging 10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.3 stocks while shooting 54.5% from the field. Holder, Ferrel, and Scurry all played key roles off the bench for West Texas A&M last season.
 
Joining Cash as transfers will be Zarai Lewis, Julie Nekolna, Arissa Garcia, Mylasia Smith, Ciara Harris, and Taejhuan Hill. Lewis comes from New Mexico Junior College where she was an All-Conference selection after averaging 8.2 points and shooting 34.2% from three. Nekolna played for Texas Tech last season and saw action in nine games. Garcia appeared in 21 games for Cal Poly in 2025-26 where she averaged 3.2 points, 2.6 boards, and 1.5 assists. Smith averaged 9.7 points on 51.1% from the field as she was an All-Conference Honorable Mention at Trinity Valley Community College. Harris comes from UNC Greensboro where he made 25 appearances and totaled 3.9 points per game. Hill is a two-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) selection after earning First Team honors this past year and Second Team her freshman season. This past year, Hill averaged 14.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.7 stocks on 54% shooting with 11 double-doubles.
 
Rounding out the roster will be freshman Juliet Slater and Ella Brown as well as Natalia Tarango.
 
Series History
Monday's game against Wayland Baptist will be the 21st all-time meeting between the programs with WT leading the series 12-8. The Lady Buffs have won four of the past five matchups including their latest game in 2024 where they came out victorious at 93-83.
 
Scouting Wayland Baptist
The Wayland Baptist University Flying Queens come into his game holding an undefeated record of 2-0. They have beaten Paul Quinn College and Huston Tillotson University by score of 71-62 ad 68-51. WBU is coming off a 2025-26 season where they went 12-16 with an 11-11 mark in conference play. Their season would ed in the quarterfinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) against Mid-America Christian. Wayland Baptist came into this season projected to finish eighth in the SAC Preseason Poll.
 
Through two games, three Flying Queens score in double figures in Tyanna Simpson, Heaven Hayden, and Illiana Hernandez. Simpson nearly averages a double-double with 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. Hayden is right behind her in scoring with 14.0 points to go with 6.5 boards. Hernandez is 12.0 points per game on 50% shooting from the floor and three in addition to 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
 
Head Coach Jordan Vessels enters her second season with Wayland Baptist in 2026-27. Vessels previously served as an Assistant Coach for Texas Tech the prior six seasons. She is also a WT alumni who played 126 games for the Lady Buffs during her tenure.
 
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