Zias Suffer First Loss of Season at SW Oklahoma, 73-50

Box Score

WEATHERFORD, OKLA. — After opening the season with four easy victories, the Eastern New Mexico University Zias were outplayed in a 73-50 loss at Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Thursday, Dec. 1, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game. The Zias fell to a 4-1 overall. The Bulldogs improved to 3-4 overall.

Consecutive layups by Elizabeth Richards (Jr., F, Texico, NM/Texico HS) and Lindsey Wood (Fr., G, Muleshoe, TX/Muleshoe HS) of ENMU tied the game at 12-12 with 13:37 to play in the first half. The Bulldogs reacted quickly, going on a 13-0 run, including seven points by Julie Dawson.

Riikka Lehtonen (Sr., Post, Turku, Finland/Kilgore College) ended the scoreless streak by converting a layup for Eastern with 6:24 to play in the opening half. Eastern’s cold shooting over the first 20 minutes (9 of 38, 23.7%) allowed Southwestern Oklahoma to hold a 36-24 lead at the break.

The Zias did not fare any better in the second half. Dawson scored the Bulldogs’ first six points, but Tiana Bryant (Sr., Post, Roswell, NM/University of New Mexico) nearly matched her efforts with a layup and a three-pointer. After Wood converted two free throws with 16:54 to go, the Zias trailed 42-31. SWOSU tallied the next seven points in a 1:47 span to start a 14-3 run, which extended the lead to 22 points, 56-34.

Heather Brown (Jr., G, Hereford, TX/Hereford HS), who returned to the ENMU lineup after missing two games with a knee injury, hit a three-pointer to start 12-2 run and pull the Zias within 11 points at 58-47 with 5:11 to play. The run was capped off by Bryant’s second 3-pointer of the game. The Bulldogs outscored the Zias, 15-3, the rest of the way.

Southwestern Oklahoma was led by Dawson, who finished with game highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds. Andrea Oldham scored 15 points and Niki Sloan added 12 points for the Bulldogs.

Eastern had only two players in double-figures, with Bryant providing 14 points and Lehtonen chipping in 10 points. The Zias were outrebounded 48-35 and shot just 27.3% for the night (18 of 66). Bryant led Eastern with eight boards.

Bryant converted 6 of 15 shots (40.0%). The remaining four starters for ENMU combined to make just 6 of 29 shots (20.7%). SW Oklahoma connected on 30 of 65 field goals (46.2.%), including 16 of 33 in the first half (48.5%).

The Zias will finish the first week of LSC crossover play with a game at Cameron University on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. MST, in Lawton, Okla. Eastern will return to the friendly confines of Greyhound Arena next week, beginning with an LSC crossover game against Texas A&M University-Commerce on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. MST.