Saturday, December 12, 2015
CLOVIS, N.M. — After Wayland Baptist scored the first nine points of Saturday afternoon's game, the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team closed to within two points, midway through the second quarter. The Flying Queens (5-3) retained the lead and pulled away for a 73-54 win over the Greyhounds at Rock Staubus Gymnasium.
Kassandra Harris reached double figures for the fourth time in the last five games and led ENMU with 16 points and seven rebounds.
After WBU took a 9-0 lead, Harris drained a pair of free throws to get ENMU on the board with 6:28 left in the opening quarter. After the Flying Queens expanded their lead to 15-6 on a fast break jumper from Maci Merket, Eastern exploded on a 10-2 run, to pull within 17-14, on a long jumper from
Jaylyn Cooper to open scoring in the second quarter.
After a pair of WBU buckets,
Briana White connected on a trey, followed by a
Sarah Stinnett jumper with 6:25 left in the first half, to pull the Greyhounds within 21-19. Wayland Baptist hit eight of their final nine field goal attempts in the opening half, while limiting Eastern to one-for-nine from the floor. The surge allowed WBU to take a 39-23 lead into the locker room.
Mikaehla Connor hit a layup to open the second half, as Eastern used a 9-2 run to close within 41-32 on a pair of Harris free throws with 4:41 left in the third quarter. Stephanie Afunugo hit WBU's first field goal of the period with 3:32 left and scored five straight points to give the Flying Queens a 46-32 lead. Eastern closed within single digits three more times, the final coming on a short jumper from Stinnett with 5:29 left in the game, to pull ENMU within 59-50.
Wayland Baptist held a 46.3-30.6 percent edge in shooting percentage. The Flying Queens held a 39-34 lead in rebounding, although Eastern enjoyed a 14-9 advantage on the offensive glass. Stinnett registered the Hounds first double double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. It also marked the second double double of her career, with the other coming at home against Angelo State, last season. Connor chipped in eight points, while White had seven. Afunugo paced WBU with 26 points and nine rebounds.
The Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team will return to action on Monday, at NCAA Division I New Mexico State. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. MT.
