The Chadron State basketball teams will take their only road trip in January this weekend, but it will be a long one. They will visit New Mexico Highlands on Friday night and play at Western New Mexico, located about 1,000 miles from Chadron, on Saturday night.
 
The New Mexico teams have been struggling this winter. Both men's teams entered this week at 1-13 overall and 1-9 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Western New Mexico women are 6-7 for the season and 4-6 in the conference while the Highlands Cowgirls are 4-10 and 3-7.
 
The Chadron State men are 3-19 for the season and the women are 2-11. Both squads are 2-7 in the RMAC.
 
The Highlands women opened conference play by defeating both Colorado Christian (78-70) and Colorado Mines (76-68), but have won just once since then. That was over CSU-Pueblo (64-54).
 
The Cowgirls' top gun is 5-foot-9 senior Anngelina Sanchez, who is averaging 14.1 points and has tallied at least 20 three times this season. Next on the scoring chart is 5-10 senior Jenny Johnson at 11.8 a game. Sanchez and Johnson have combined to sink 42 of 97 3-point shots (43.3 percent) and 76 of 90 (84.4 percent) of their free throws.
 
The Western New Mexico women also knocked off Colorado Mines (68-50) and Colorado Christian (80-51) in early December, then lost five straight games before winning at Metro State (59-47) and at Adams State (70-63) this month.
 
Ashley Mitchell, a 5-10 senior, who is averaging 12.8 points is the only Lady Mustang scoring in double figures. She shoots a lot and is just 55 of 165 (33.3 percent) from the field, including 22-72 (30.6) from 3-point country.
 
Point guard Emma Block leads the CSC women in scoring at 13.7 points per game. Maka Daysh, who leads the team in rebounding with 4.2 boards a game, averages 8.7.
 
The only win for the Highlands' men was a 77-68 decision on Dec. 12 at Western State. The Cowboys took Fort Lewis, which is 12-3 for the season, to the wire before losing 83-76 last Friday night. However, Adams State blasted the Cowboys 100-59 the next night.
 
Kendrick Nichols, a 6-3 junior, leads the Cowboys in scoring at 17.8 points and has nailed 38 of 102 3-point shots. He's tallied at least 20 points seven times this season. Another threat is 6-4 junior Jonathan Mines, who is averaging 14.3 points.
 
The Western men toppled Regis 73-66 in Denver for their only win this season. Marcus Castrillo, a 6-7 senior, leads the Mustangs in scoring (12.5 points) and rebounding (5.5). Point guard Terrez Scott is averaging 10.6 points and leads the team in steals (25) and assists (56).
 
Kendrick Holliman leads the Eagles in scoring with 14.2 points a game. He also is team's leading rebounder with 5.4. Also for the Eagles, Christopher Smith scores 11.7 points per game and Evan Brooks averages 9.5.