Second half of WJCAC basketball schedule begins Monday at Western Texas
The Lady Texans will play at 5:45 p.m. with the Texans following at 7:45 p.m. Both games will be broadcast over the air on 1230 AM KLVT Radio and online at www.klvtradio.com.
SPC's road trip to Western Texas will be the second of three consecutive road games.
The Texans (20-2, 7-1 WJCAC) are currently the No. 1-ranked team in the NJCAA, but are coming off their first loss in a month when sixteenth-ranked Odessa College knocked them off Thursday night, 76-56.
Texan head coach Steve Green recently revealed that he did not think anybody would make it through the league unscathed.
"I don't want to be the spoiler here, but I did not think anybody was going to go through this league undefeated," the 14th year head coach told KLVT Radio's Michael Wiiest. "We were very fortunate that we were sitting where we were and, in all honesty, where we are."
Including Thursday's game at Odessa, the Texans are in the midst of a four-game stretch against teams very much in the playoff hunt, including the next two on the road.
"I mentioned earlier in the week that this was going to be a very tough stretch for us because we are playing the playoff teams one right after another."
Western Texas (17-5, 5-3 WJCAC) is next on that list. South Plains defeated the Westerners 70-60 in their conference opener Dec. 7 at the Texan Dome in a game the Texans trailed at the half and did not quite pull away until about the midway point of the second half.
"They (Western Texas) gave us fits here. I basically feel like we won that game because we played here that night. Hopefully we are much improved from then, and they are not."
The Westerners should have plenty of motivation Monday night as they are currently sitting in a tie for fourth place with New Mexico and fighting for their playoff lives.
Following Monday's game in Snyder, the Texans will then travel to No. 24 Howard (18-4, 6-2) before hosting No. 23 New Mexico (17-4, 5-3).
Howard is the defending WJCAC champion and New Mexico won last year's Region V Tournament. Both teams advanced to the 2013 NJCAA National Tournament.
The Lady Texans (11-9, 5-2) are coming off a huge win over Odessa College who, at the time were atop the standings and without a loss in league play. The victory put the Lady Texans firmly back in the conference title hunt, as they are only a game behind New Mexico for the lead in the standings.
Like South Plains, New Mexico does not play Thursday night. Odessa still holds a half-game lead over the Lady Texans and they wrap up the first half of their conference schedule Thursday at Clarendon.
South Plains had three athletes play the entirety of Thursday nights contest in sophomoresAlexius Dawn, TaSheena Moore, and Jasmine Brainard, all of who also had double-digit scoring nights for the Lady Texans.
"You have to have a really athletic post player to guard Jas (Brainard), who can step out and also take you on the block and has really solid post moves and she can run the floor so well," said Lady Texan head coach Michelle Wyatt. "Their versatility and what they can do – to guard Alexius at the point, is tough. She is going to wear you down. She can take you off the dribble, she can shoot the three."
Undersized and lacking depth against Odessa, Wyatt said rebounding was key and credited guard TaSheena Moore for her effort on the glass.
"TaSheena Moore, for a guard, just really goes and gets rebounds. She has eight, nine rebounds and is one of the best rebounders in the conference from the guard spot."
The SPC women now face a team they had little trouble with during their first league game Dec. 7, by Wyatt says is different.
"They have a good post player and she did not play against us the first time and they have gotten a guard eligible that we did not see the first semester, as well," she said. "They are a totally different team. I expect them to play well on their home floor."
Western Texas (6-12, 1-6) fell to the Lady Texans 74-48 in their first outing in Levelland.
Game Information Lady Texans (11-9, 5-2) vs Western Texas (6-12, 1-6)
No. 1 Texans (20-2, 7-1) vs Western Texas (17-5, 5-3)
Location Snyder, Texas
Game time 5:45 p.m. (women), 7:45 p.m. (men)
Radio 1230 AM KLVT Radio | Michael Wiiest
Coaches Michelle Wyatt (190-73 in ninth season; 16-1 vs WTC)
Steve Green (343-93 in 14th season; 12-3 vs WTC; 497-137 in career as head coach)