Saturday, February 28, 2015

CANYON, TEXAS — Late in the first half of Saturday's Lone Star Conference game, junior forward Brittany Gutierrez's (Gallup, N.M./Otero JC) layup pulled the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team (9-17; LSC 5-11) to within three points against fourth-ranked West Texas A&M (14-2; LSC 15-1) at the First United Bank Center. The Lady Buffs pulled away for a 99-67 win in the second half, although senior forward Tori Tucker (Portales, N.M./Floyd HS/Howard College) registered the fifth double double of her career with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
 
After WT took the initial lead on a Sasha Watson layup, the Zias tied the game on a layup from Gutierrez. With 16:27 left in the opening half, Sarah Stinnett (Jr., G, Fort Sumner, N.M./Howard College) hit a jumper and the ensuing free throw after drawing a foul from Madison McLain. The three-point play staked ENMU to a 5-2 advantage, but a 13-3 run gave the Lady Buffs a 15-8 edge with 11:05 left in the half. WT extended their advantage to nine points on a pair of occasions, before a Jasmine Johnson (Sr., P, DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto HS) jumper sparked an 8-2 Zia run, capped by five points from Tucker, to pull the Zias within 24-21, with 6:17 on the clock. Eastern pulled within three points one final time, 26-23 on a Gutierrez layup, before the Lady Buffs closed the half with a 15-6 run to take a 12-point lead into the second half.
 
Stinnett paced ENMU with 11 points in the first half, but West Texas A&M held a 63-42.3 percent advantage in shooting percentage and a slim 15-13 edge on the boards. Eastern managed to keep the deficit under 20 points through much of the second half, but WT used a 17-7 lead to take an 83-55 lead with 7:05 left, then continued to pull away.
 
Stinnett paced ENMU with 22 points and four assist. The performance marked ENMU's first 20-point performance against WT, since Ashlee Pierson scored 20 on January 23, 2013. Jordyn Cooper (Jr., G, Texico, N.M./Texico HS) contributed 15 points and connected on five of her seven attempts from three-point range. Tucker's 10 rebounds accounted for nearly half of the Zias 22 total rebounds. Chontiquah White, the LSC's leading scorer poured in 21 points.
 
The Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team has concluded the regular season and will play in the Lone Star Conference Tournament on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. MT, at the Allen Events Center in Allen, Texas. After a one-year absence, the Zias will be making their third appearance in the tournament in the last four years. Wednesday's opponent will be determined by tomorrow's contest, when Cameron plays at Midwestern State.