Heather Brown Scores 22 Points, but Zias Fall to East Central, 71-66

PORTALES, NM — Eastern New Mexico University freshman guard Heather Brown (Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists, but it wasn’t enough for the Zias, as East Central University escaped Greyhound Arena with a 71-66 victory, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game on Monday, Jan. 5. The Zias, who lost by five points or less for the fourth time this season, fell to 4-7 overall. ECU evened its record at 5-5 with the win.

Brown started in place of injured point guard (sprained ankle) Kristi McGuire (So., The Woodlands, TX/UT-Pan American) for the second consecutive game. She has recorded 15 assists in her two starts. Her 22 points against ECU were a career high.

The Zias led by as many as nine points in both halves, but were unable to increase the margin to double digits. Eastern owned a 19-10 advantage after Brown connected on two free throws with 11:11 remaining in the opening half, but ECU followed with a 9-0 run to tie the game. The Zias were in front, 29-23, at the break.

In the second half, ENMU took a nine-point lead, 36-27, when Loren Scarlett (Jr., Post, Throckmorton, TX/Throckmorton HS) put in a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 17:52 left. The Zias led by nine points two more times over the next two minutes, but the Tigers overcame a 40-31 deficit with a 10-0 run. ENMU went almost three minutes without scoring, until Jereena Bosket (Sr., F/P, Las Vegas, NV/Barstow CC) made a layup at the 13:07 mark to give the Zias the lead at 42-41.

Bosket scored again with 12:40 left to increase the lead to 44-41. Kelli Donovan of ECU tied the game seven seconds later on a 3-pointer, as she started an 11-2. The Zias countered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Brown and Laci Lee (Jr., G, Portales, NM/Portales HS), plus a jump shot by Elizabeth Richards (So., F, Texico, NM/Texico HS), as ENMU moved in front, 54-52.

East Central regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Lesli Shores at the 8:14 mark. Shores also provided three points on a basket and foul shot with 5:06 to go, giving ECU a 61-56 advantage.

Brown connected on her third 3-pointer of the night for ENMU with 2:30 remaining to finish a 5-0 run and tie the game, 61-61. ECU took the lead with 1:52 to go, as Lindsay Sutton hit two free throws. Stormy Griffith added a layup with 1:20 left for a four-point ECU lead.

The Zias closed to within 65-63 on a basket by junior forward Mika Robertson (Levelland, TX/Midland College) with exactly one minute left. Rashaundra Singleton of ECU made a layup at the 40-second mark, then hit two free throws with 20 seconds left, as the Tigers pulled out to a six-point margin. Lee gave Eastern hope on a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 69-66, but Shores clinched the win for ECU with a pair of free throws one second later.

East Central placed five players in double figures, led by Donovan with 15 points. Shores tacked on 13 points, while Griffith provided 12 points and seven rebounds. Singleton chipped in 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Sutton contributed 10 points.

Griffith and Singleton supplied the Tigers with six assists apiece. Teleah Hays scored eight points for ECU in 12 minutes of playing time.

Brown led the way for the Zias, and was joined by Richards and Lee in double figures. Richards scored 16 points and led all players with 10 rebounds. Lee recorded 14 points and registered six boards.

ENMU had three more field goals than ECU and achieved a 47-32 rebounding edge, but the Tigers made up the difference with one more 3-pointer and 10 more free throws. ECU was 21 of 24 at the charity stripe, while ENMU made 11 of 15 free throws.

The Tigers were 21 of 53 from the field (39.6%) and hit 8 of 18 three-pointers (44.4%). Eastern was 24 of 66 on field goals (36.4%). The Zias made 7 of 23 three-point shots (30.4%).

Eastern’s next three games will be on the road, starting with an LSC crossover game at Cameron University on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 5 p.m. (MST). ENMU also will play at crossover game at Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m. (MST)

The Zias will complete the road trip with an LSC South Division game at West Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m. (MST). ENMU is currently 1-0 in the LSC South, after defeating WTAMU, 76-57, on Dec. 16.

Although ENMU leads WTAMU (0-1) in the division standings, the season series between the Zias and the Lady Buffs is even at one win apiece. The Lady Buffs defeated ENMU, 75-54, during the Dr. Pepper Classic at WTAMU on Nov. 28.