Bryant's Double-Double Leads Eastern to 66-65 Win over Cameron

Box Score

LAWTON, OKLA. — Senior post Tiana Bryant (Roswell, NM/University of New Mexico) recorded her fourth double-double of the season, as she led Eastern New Mexico University to a 66-65 victory over Cameron University in the Aggie Gym on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Zias, playing without injured starter Elizabeth Richards (Jr., F, Texico, NM/Texico HS), improved their record to 5-1 this season. Following the loss in the Lone Star Conference crossover game, the Lady Aggies dropped to 2-5.

Bryant finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. She did most of her damage to Cameron in the second half, as two early fouls limited her to only six minutes of playing time in the first half. She earned four points and two rebounds before sitting out the final 13:30 of the opening period. Bryant played all 20 minutes in the second half.

Richards missed the game after injuring her knee in the first half of Thursday’s 73-50 loss at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. With Richards out of the lineup, junior college transfer Missy Kirkland (Jr., G, Arlington, TX/Hill College) provided the Zias with a boost by shooting a perfect 3 for 3 from the field in the first half. She scored seven points during the half, including a 3-pointer. The Zias trailed by only one point, 32-31, after 20 minutes.

In the first 7:12 of the second half, the Lady Aggies outscored the Zias 15-6 to achieve a 10-point lead at 47-37. Bryant then scored her third basket of the second half, which was followed by a 3-pointer by Riikka Lehtonen (Sr., P, Turku, Finland/Kilgore College) to cut the lead in half.

Eastern stopped Cameron on its next possession, as Bryant grabbed one of her 10 defensive rebounds. The Zias quickly got the ball up court into the hands of Lehtonen, who provided an assist for Lindsey Wood’s (Fr., G, Muleshoe, TX/Muleshoe HS) only shot of the game, a 3-pointer to pull within two points of the Lady Aggies, 47-45.

ENMU caught Cameron at 49-49 on a layup by Kirkland, off an assist from Wood with 9:24 left in the game. The Zias only managed two free throws by Bryant in the next minute and a half, allowing Cameron to take a 56-51 lead with 5:55 to play.

Bryant hit a jumper and Heather Brown (Jr., G, Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) converted two free throws to get the Zias within one point with 5:31 to play. The Lady Aggies increased the lead to three points, 58-55, on a jumper by Tiffany Williams 20 seconds later. Ashley Sutton (Jr., G, Italy, TX/Tyler Junior College), playing in her first year at Eastern, tied the game with her second 3-pointer at the 4:34 mark.

CU moved in front on a basket and foul shot by Brittany Cooksey with 4:18 left. Lehtonen’s third assist of the game, all leading to 3-pointers, gave Bryant a shot from beyond the arc for a 61-61 tie just seven seconds later.

The Zias kept the Lady Aggies scoreless on the next two possessions before a Bryant layup gave Eastern the lead for good at 63-61 with 2:59 to play. Eastern’s final three points came on a bucket by Brown and a free throw by Bryant for the Zias’ largest lead of the game, 66-61, with 1:28 to play.

Williams converted two charity shots and hit a jumper to bring Cameron within one point with 39 ticks left on the clock. Two steals by Bryant, the final one with two seconds remaining, secured the victory for ENMU.

Bryant’s 16 points and 8 boards in the second half made the difference for Eastern. Lehtonen was the only other Zia in double figures, getting 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Brown overcame a bad shooting night (3 of 11) to finish with nine points, six boards, two steals and a game-high three blocked shots. Kirkland also connected for nine points, while Sutton added eight, including two three-pointers.

Williams led the Lady Aggies in scoring with 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Brittany Cooksey scored 12 and dished out five assists. Melissa Steen provided 10 points and eight rebounds.

Cameron outrebounded Eastern, 42-40, while both teams shot 40% from the field. The Zias hit 44.4% from behind the arc (4 for 9 in each half). The eight 3-pointers matched Eastern’s season-high established in the season opener against Western New Mexico University.

ENMU returns to the friendly confines of Greyhound Arena for an LSC crossover game against Texas A&M University-Commerce on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. MST. The Zias also play at home on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 5 p.m. MST against St. Edward’s University.