RIVERSIDE, Calif.—Home sweet home. After playing seven straight road games, a stretch that dates back to Nov. 23, the UC Riverside Women's Basketball team returns to the SRC Arena on Friday for a matchup against New Mexico State.

The Highlanders have played just two home games so far this season, against Southern Utah and Coastal Carolina, and won both. The team's last home game was on Nov. 18.

In the final game of their seven-game road stretch, the Highlanders (4-8) came back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, only to come up just short in a 56-53 loss to Utah Valley. The team went 2-5 during the seven games.

The Highlanders are 0-1 all-time vs. Aggies. The teams faced each other on Nov. 15, 2008, with UCR taking a 79-52 loss on the road.

The game will mark the third time this season that UCR has played a team from the WAC (Western Athletic Conference). So far, the team is 0-2, losing to Cal Baptist and Utah Valley.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES
New Mexico State got a triple-double from Brooke Salas, riding a dominant second half to an 82-64 victory over Alcorn State last Friday to improve to 7-4 on the season. Salas recorded the school's first triple-double (32 points, 22 rebounds, 11 blocks) since Feb. 15, 1992. Her 32 points were a season-high and her 22 rebounds and 11 blocks were career-highs.

BLOCK PARTY
The Highlanders lead the Big West in blocked shots with 67, averaging 5.6 per game. Marina Ewodo has 29 of those and is averaging 2.4 blocks per game, which is second in the Big West.  Daphne Gnago and Tianna Eaton are tied for fourth with an average of 0.9 blocks per game. The team has out-blocked opponents 67-21.

TURNOVER MARGIN
The Highlanders have the second-best turnover margin (2.2) in the Big West, averaging 13.2 turnovers a game, while the opposition is averaging 15.4.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Highlanders are first in the Big West in defensive field goal percentage, with a .367 average.