HOBBS, NM---When 1st year Head Coach Devonte Brewer took over the Women's Basketball program last spring, he immediately looked at the upcoming schedule and knew his Lady Mustangs had a tough task ahead of them. The early pre-conference schedule for USW has featured 2 NCAA Division 1 programs (Abilene Christian & UTSA), 3 NCAA Division 2 programs (Fort Lewis College, Colorado Mesa & Western Colorado) and a slew of  great NAIA teams from the Midwest. But the tough competition did not worry Brewer as he knew the games would challenge and push his team to learn who they really were and what a good team played like. "It taught us what good teams look like" said Brewer. "It showed us what it will take to play at that level. It also taught us how to overcome adversity. You learn the most about yourself and your teammates when you're going through tough times. We had to learn how to overcome and adapt through those tough times. It seemed like it has brought us closer together." 

The Lady Mustangs enter Thursday's RRAC opener against Huston-Tillotson with a 1-6 record with their only victory coming against NCAA Division 3 opponent Sul Ross State. Despite the lopsided record, the Lady Mustangs hung tough against several of their talented opponents. Brewer knows that despite the record, the team has been growing and getting better each and every day. "We have to continue to play hard and play together. The ball movement will be better because they are learning to play together. Chemistry is building between them, but we still have a ways to go." 

USW opens up Red River conference play with their first three games at home, which will be their first home games all season. The Lady Mustangs previous 12 contests have all been on the road. Brewer is excited to finally play at home and wants his team to take things simple to start out the season. "I just want to keep building on what we are trying to do. Take it one quarter at a time and leave it all out on the court." 

The Lady Mustangs take on the Huston-Tillotson Rams at 5:30 MST tonight at 'The Dox'. The game will be streamed live through our Mustang TV.

https://uswathletics.com/sports/2019/8/29/blueframe.aspx