ENMU Pulls Away from TAMU-Kingsville, 67-47
Zias are 9-8 Overall, 3-1 in the LSC South

KINGSVILLE, TX — Junior guard Laci Lee (Portales, NM/Portales HS) scored 17 points and grabbed 11 boards, as Eastern New Mexico University routed Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 67-57, in a Lone Star Conference South Division game on Saturday, Jan. 24. Lee was 5 of 8 from the field, including 1 of 2 on 3-pointers, and made 6 of 6 free throw attempts.

The win, Eastern’s fifth in its last six games, improved the Zias to 9-8 overall. ENMU moved to 3-1 in the LSC South. TAMU-Kingsville dropped to 1-15 overall, 0-3 in the LSC South, after losing for the 14th game in a row.

Lee was one of three Zias in double figures. Elizabeth Richards (So., F/P, Texico, NM/Texico HS) supplied 15 points and hauled down eight rebounds. She also contributed three assists, two blocked shots and two steals. Jereena Bosket (Sr., F/P, Las Vegas, NV/Barstow CC) tallied 13 points, four rebounds and two assists.

ENMU outrebounded the Javelinas, 41-30, and committed just 16 turnovers, compared to 20 turnovers by TAMUK. The Zias converted 41.9% from the field (26 of 62), including 50.0% in the second half (14 of 28). Meanwhile, Eastern limited Kingsville to 35.6% for the game on field goals (16 of 45), including just 29.2% (7 of 24) in the second half.

TAMU-Kingsville was led by Angela Trotter, who recorded a gam-high 19 points. She sank 5 of 14 field goals and made 9 of 12 free throws. She also provided the Javelinas with six rebounds. Trotter and Ashley Hereford, both forwards, played all 40 minutes for TAMUK.

Kingsville scored the first basket of the game, but the Zias responded with Lee’s 3-pointer to take 3-2 advantage on ENMU’s first possession. Eastern built a 15-6 lead over the first five minutes, only to have TAMUK go on a 14-2 run. The Javelinas owned a 20-17 advantage at the 7:12 mark.

Loren Scarlett (Jr., P, Throckmorton, TX/Throckmorton HS) countered with a 3-pointer to tie the game 10 seconds later, and the score remained close through the end of the half. Heather Brown (Fr., G, Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) sank two free throws with 0:41 left, and Tiana Bryant (So., P, Roswell, NM/U. of New Mexico) hit a layup with five seconds to go, as the Zias claimed a 29-24 edge at the break.

Eastern registered the first six points of the second half on jumpers by Richards and Scarlett, plus a 3-pointer by Brown, to lead 36-24 with 17:13 remaining. The Zias went up by double-digits for good when Kristi McGuire (Jr., G, The Woodlands, TX/U. of Texas-Pan American) sank a 3-pointer with 13:42 left. ENMU was ahead by 15 points, 45-30, after Lee hit a jumper at the 10:53 mark, and also led by at least 15 points for the final 6:27.

The Zias are above .500 after 17 games for the first time since the 1999-00 season. That year, ENMU won its first five games and owned an 11-6 record through Jan. 27, 2000. ENMU finished the season at 17-10.

Eastern returns home for a pair of LSC South games next week. The Zias will take on Abilene Christian University on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 5:30 p.m. (MST). ENMU hosts Angelo State University on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 5 p.m. (MST).