ENMU Overtakes East Central in Closing Minutes,
as Zias Defeat Tigers, 47-44
Easterm Takes Lead on Lehtonen's 3-Pointer with 2:53 Left

Box Score

ADA, OKLA. — Junior forward Riikka Lehtonen (Turku, Finland/Kilgore College) entered
Eastern New Mexico University’s game at East Central University on Saturday, Jan. 15, averaging just 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, while hitting 1 of 2 three-pointers. Against ECU, Lehtonen scored nine points, grabbed five rebounds and went 2 for 2 from three-point range, including the go-ahead basket with 2:53 left, as the Zias defeated the Tigers, 47-44, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game. ENMU improved to 6-8 and ended a five-game losing streak. ECU fell to 6-8 with its fourth consecutive loss.

Eastern rallied from a 39-31 deficit with 9:55 remaining to secure the win. The Zias started the comeback by going on a 7-1 run to cut the lead to 40-38. Ashley Davidson (Jr., G, Carrollton, TX/Odessa College) started the run by making a 3-pointer at the 9:39 mark. Lehtonen chipped in a free throw with 8:19 to go, and Tia Doss (Jr., F, Albuquerque, NM/Highland HS) sank a layup and a foul shot for a three-point play with 6:44 remaining.

Lacey Goldwire scored the next two points for ECU on a pair of free throws, but the Zias pulled back within a basket when Mika Robertson (Sr., F, Levelland, TX/Midland College) hit two free throws with 3:58 left. The Zias tied the game on two more charity shots from Robertson at the 3:35 mark.

Lehtonen’s three-pointer gave ENMU a 45-42 lead. It proved to be enough as neither team scored again until Tenecia Miller made a layup for East Central with 24 seconds left. Heather Brown (So., G, Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) missed four consecutive free throws in the final minute for ENMU, but clinched the win by sinking two free throws with 3.9 seconds on the clock. ECU needed a 3-pointer to tie the game, but was unable to take a shot before the buzzer.

ENMU was led in scoring by Brown and Loren Scarlett (Sr., Post, Throckmorton, TX/ Throckmorton HS), each with 10 points. Lehtonen’s nine points followed, with Doss adding seven points and Robertson scoring six.

Robertson and Scarlett topped the rebounding chart for ENMU with six boards each, while Brown, Davidson and Lehtonen grabbed five caroms apiece. Brown also provided three assists and one steal.

Miller paced East Central with 11 points and seven rebounds. Shantele Graham tallied eight points, hauled down five boards and registered four steals. Kelli Donovan chipped in six points and seven rebounds, while Teleah Hayes scored six points. Jastin Flenory recorded a game-high 11 rebounds to help the Tigers claim a 44-37 rebounding edge.

Eastern led 8-1 on a layup by Doss and two 3-pointers by Brown, but gave up the next 11 points, as the Tigers took a 12-8 advantage. The Zias tied the game, 12-12, with 10:05 left in the half, on a jumper by Brown. ECU led 21-17 with 4:28 on the clock, but ENMU took a 23-22 lead when Scarlett drained a 3-pointer at the 1:30 mark. Graham made a layup with 46 seconds remaining for the final points of the half, as ECU moved in front, 24-23.

Both teams shot poorly from the field, with ECU managing just 25.9% for the game (14 of 54) and the Zias finishing at 33.3% (15 of 45). ENMU shot 40.0% (6 of 15) in the second half, while East Central made just 5 of 25 shots (20.0%) over the final 20 minutes.

The teams also had difficulty at the free throw line. ENMU converted 11 of 22 free throws (50.0%). ECU made 11 of 19 free throws (57.9%). Eastern was 6 of 23 on 3-pointers, while the Tigers went 5 of 17 from behind the 3-point line.

Eastern New Mexico University will return home for back-to-back LSC South games. The Zias are set to host Texas A&M University-Commerce at 5:30 p.m. MST on Thursday, Jan. 20. ENMU will take on Midwestern State University on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. MST.