LAREDO, Texas (December 8, 2017) - The Texas A&M International University Women's Basketball team is set to open Heartland Conference play on Saturday. The Dustdevils host St. Mary's in the first Heartland Conference game of the season. 

THE ALL-TIME SERIES:
Saturday marks the 23rd all-time meeting between the programs. StMU beat TAMIU twice last season, holding the all-time series lead 18-4. The Dustdevils last win came on January 21, 2016 when the Dustdevils handled StMU, 73-53. 

ABOUT THE DUSTDEVILS:
The Dustdevils come into Saturday's matchup after losing their first game in three prior matchups. TAMIU took on NCAA DIvision I Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Tuesday, December 5. The contest was the first time in either programs history that the game would count for official record. Despite a tight halftime score, the Dustdevils fell 34-53. Passionate Amukamara led the Dustdevils with 10 points, four steals, three rebounds, and assist in the loss. 

ON THE LEADERBOARD:
While the Dustdevils as a team do not sit atop the leaderboard, four Dustdevils rank at or near the top of the Heartland Conference leaderboard in multiple statistical categories. 

Tantahsea Giger sits third among all conference players with 178 points this season. Giger averages 16.2 points per game. 

Jaden Gonzales leads the conference in made three-point field goals with 27 in 11 games. The sophomore averages 2.4 made three's per game. 

Ashley Perez leads the conference in assists with 50 thus far. In terms of assists/game, Perez sits second with 4.5 apg.

SCOUTING THE RATTLERS:
The Rattlers come into Saturday's game after falling to St. Edward's in their Heartland Conference opener. The Hilltoppers downed the Rattlers 70-62, handing StMU their first loss in three games. StMU sits at 4-7 overall this season with their four wins coming in tournament appearances. The Rattlers went 2-0 at the Lubbock Christian Classic where the defeated UT-Permian Basin (50-46) and Western New Mexico (64-60). 

The Rattlers have already visited Laredo this season, taking part in the Courtyard Marriott Classic just a week ago. StMU would finish the classic with a 2-0 record, taking down Huston-Tillotson (63-60) and Arlington Baptist (77-51). 

StMU is averaging 56.7 points per game this season while allowing opponents to score 62 points per game. The team shoots 37% from the field and 39.7% from behind the arc, making 78 three's this season. The Rattlers commit 18.1 turnover per game and allow opponents to score 18.4 points per game off those turnovers. 

Arysia Porter leads the team in scoring (15.6 ppg) while averaging 6.8 rebounds per game, also a team high. Kealani Marquez is shooting 36.8% from behind the arc while porter has sunk 18 three's. 

DUSTDEVIL STATS:
The Dustdevils are averaging 59.7 points per game this season while opponents average 69.6. TAMIU is shooting 35.5% from the field but 25.9% from behind the arc. 

Giger leads the Dustdevils with 178 points, averaging 16.2. Giger also holds the top rebounding numbers, averaging 5.6 per game with a total of 62 this season. 

UP NEXT:
The Dustdevils head west for their next game. TAMIU will take part in the Viking Holiday Hoops Classic, hosted by Western Washington University. The two-day tournament takes place in Bellingham, Washington where TAMIU will face Western Washington and Simon Fraser.