Kourtney Rittenberry dominates with 21 points in Alabama A&M's blowout win

In New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 3, 2025, the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros are set to face the New Orleans Privateers after a noteworthy performance by K.T. Raimey. The Vaqueros recently achieved a substantial 88-44 victory over the Dallas Christian Crusaders, where Raimey scored 20 points, showcasing the team's strong offensive capabilities. This impressive win comes as UT Rio Grande Valley holds a 9-4 record and is currently 1-1 in Southland conference play. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Privateers have been struggling, with a record of 2-11 and 0-2 in conference play. Owned by James White, who leads the team with an average of 19.1 points per game, the Privateers have had a challenging season. Their shooting averages are concerning; they only hit 38.5% of their shots, which is significantly lower than their opponents' shooting percentage allowed at 42.4%. Notably, UT Rio Grande Valley's performance against teams with records above .500 has been decent, showcasing a 3-3 record against such opponents this season. The Vaqueros have strengthened their game, averaging 81.4 points per game with solid rebounding and assist stats. They are dominating the 3-point shooting game, averaging 11.8 made shots from beyond the arc, which intensifies the difficulty for their opponents. As both teams prepare to meet for the first time in this season's conference play, the matchup promises to be a critical test for the New Orleans Privateers. With their home game records at 0-1 and UT Rio Grande Valley showing success in their last outings, the stakes are high for New Orleans to turn their fortunes around as they seek their first conference win this season.