Tuesday, February 17, 2015
                                                                             
PORTALES, N.M. — Senior forward Tori Tucker (Portales, N.M./Floyd HS/Howard College) drew a charge from Texas A&M-Commerce's (13-11; LSC 7-6) Princess Davis with five second left and Sarah Stinnett (Jr., G, Fort Sumner, N.M./Howard College) drained a pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds on the clock to lift the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team (9-14; LSC 5-8) to an 81-79 win in Lone Star Conference play, Tuesday at Greyhound Arena. Tucker poured in a career-best 32 points to register the second 30-point performance by a Zia player this season.
 
The win snapped a two-game skid in the series to the Lions and was the second straight home win in the series for Eastern. The victory also marked the first time in 11 games this season the Zias won a game in which the opposition had a higher shooting percentage. Eastern led for 28:17 of the action, while the score was tied on 15 occasions.
 
After an early exchange of baskets gave A&M-Commerce held a 4-2 lead, but ENMU exploded on a 15-2 run over the ensuing 3:28, to seize their largest lead of the game, 17-6, on a Tucker trey with 14:34 left in the first half. The Lions responded with a 16-2 run, capped by a Davis trey to take a 22-19 lead with 10:52 remaining. The teams went back and forth for the remainder of the half and traded three-point buckets over the final minute, with Zenobia Winbush's three-point bucket pulling A&M-Commerce within 45-43 at halftime.
 
The teams continued to exchange buckets in the early going of the second half, but a Tucker jumper snapped a 51-all tie and sparked a 6-0 run to give ENMU 57-51 lead on a Tucker trey. The game would be tied five more times, with the final time coming at 79-all on an Artaejah Gay layup with 33 second left in the game. After a missed three-point attempt from ENMU's Jordyn Cooper (Jr., G, Texico, N.M./Texico HS), it appeared the last possession of regulation would go to the Lions, but Tucker drew the charge with five seconds left and Stinnett drew a foul from Ashlee Johnson to set up the game-clinching free throws with 1.2 second left. The Lions lobbed a pass down the court, but Jaylyn Cooper (Jr., G, Texico, N.M./Texico HS) made the steal as time expired.
 
Texas A&M-Commerce held a 53-29 edge on the boards, the largest rebounding deficit ENMU has faced this season. The Zias only allowed the Lions a 14-6 edge in second-chance points. ENMU countered with a 23-16 lead in points off turnover and forced a season-best 29 turnovers, with many coming on offensive fouls. In addition to her career, high, Tucker contributed six rebounds, three assists, two steals and hit all eight of her free throws. Stinnett poured in 17 points, grabbed three steals and matched a career high with six assists. Cassidy Doherty (Jr., PG, Folsom, N.M./Melrose HS) dished out six assists and had three steals, while Jordyn Cooper added 10 points. Jasmine Johnson (Sr., P, DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto HS) chipped in seven points and three steals. Kiana Evans and Gabby Scott each had 15 points for the Lions.
 
The Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team will close out their home schedule on Thursday against Texas Woman's. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT.