Lady Lions edge Zias 51-48
Lee notches 20 points for ENMU

Box Score

JOPLIN, MO. — The Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team was defeated by Missouri Southern State University 51-48 in the finale of the MSSU Pizza Hut/Fairfield Inn Classic on Saturday, Nov. 27. The loss was Eastern’s third in a row, dropping the Zias to 2-3 on the season. MSSU raised its record to 4-1 for the year with the victory.

Laci Lee (Sr., G, Portales, NM/Portales HS) put up nearly half of the points for ENMU, netting 20 in her 26 minutes of action. The senior went 6-for-12 from the floor and 7-for-7 from the free throw line to go along with six rebounds for the game.

Loren Scarlett (Sr., P, Throckmorton, TX/Throckmorton HS) saw her first action of the 2004-05 campaign, and led all players with 11 rebounds in the contest. Scarlett also blocked two shots and notched seven points in the contest. Tiana Bryant (Jr., P, Roswell, NM/University of New Mexico) poured in nine points and grabbed five rebounds, while Mika Robertson (Sr., F, Levelland, TX/Midland College) scored seven points and posted three rebounds for the Zias.

With 2:51 to play in the contest, Lee buried a jump shot and got fouled on the play. She put home the free throw as well, giving the Zias a one-point lead at 48-47. But MSSU’s Aubrie Hallman made two free throws with 1:42 to play and two more in the closing seconds to lead the Lady Lions to the 51-48 victory. The Zias went 0-for-2 with two turnovers in their final four possessions of the game.

The contest featured 11 tie scores and 11 lead changes, as each team struggled with its shooting. ENMU shot 36.2 percent from the floor in the game, while MSSU shot just 28.3 percent from the field. However, the Lady Lions went 7-for-18 from three-point land, while ENMU went just 3-for-11 from downtown.

Hallman led all scorers with 23 points in the contest, while Nicole Greninger scored 14. The Zias outrebounded the Lady Lions 42-35, but ENMU committed 20 turnovers to MSSU’s 12.

The Zias are back in action on Thursday, Dec. 2, when they play host to Cameron University at Greyhound Arena. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. MST. The Aggies are 1-3 on the season, with their lone win coming on Nov. 27 against Oklahoma Panhandle State University. ENMU won its only home contest this season, defeating Fort Lewis College 57-53 on Nov. 15.