Pecos and Tucumcari are an even 3-3 against one another since March of 2016, but not for long. The Pecos Panthers are taking a road trip to square off against the Tucumcari Rattlers at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Pecos sitting on four straight victories and Tucumcari on nine.
Last Thursday, Pecos took their matchup with ease, bagging a 56-20 win over Clayton.
Natalia Stout
| 02/20/25 vs Clayton | 7 |
| 02/18/25 @ Estancia | 8 |
| 02/15/25 @ Santa Rosa | 4 |
| 02/13/25 vs Raton | 3 |
| 02/08/25 @ Tucumcari | 2 |
| + 21 more games |
Pecos' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Natalia Stout led the charge by putting up 12 points along with seven steals and six boards. Stout is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Brianna Bustos, who posted six points and three steals.
Meanwhile, a well-balanced attack led Tucumcari over Clayton in every quarter on their way to victory on Saturday. Everything went Tucumcari's way against Clayton as Tucumcari made off with a 55-30 victory. The Rattlers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 11 games by 21 points or more this season.
Pecos better keep an eye on Caylee Benavidez. She was instrumental in Tucumcari's win, dropping a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds. Another player making a difference was Kyla Lopez, who almost dropped a double-double with 16 points and nine boards.
Tucumcari smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 52 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Pecos' win was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 20-6. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.1 points over those games. As for Tucumcari, their record is now 20-5.
Monday's matchup will pit two of the most dominant guards against one another: Stout and Benavidez. Stout has been dynamite this season: she has averaged 16.8 points, 7.4 steals, and 7.8 rebounds. For her part, Benavidez has averaged 15.4 points, 3.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks.
Pecos came up short against Tucumcari when the teams last played on February 8th, falling 63-54. Can Pecos avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
