TAMU-Commerce Edges Zias, 71-67,
in Lone Star Conference Game
Brown Score 18 Points, Robertson Adds 17, for ENMU

Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. — Texas A&M University-Commerce went on a 22-11 run in the final 11 minutes, as the Lions surged past Eastern New Mexico University, 71-67, in a Lone Star Conference South Division game, Jan. 20 at Greyhound Arena. ENMU led 56-49 with 11:02 to go, and held a 62-58 advantage following a jumper by Mika Robertson (Sr., F, Levelland, TX/Midland College) with 7:08 left. Commerce answered with an 8-0 run for a 66-62 lead, as the Zias went scoreless for nearly six minutes before Robertson made another jumper with 1:41 remaining. The Lions sank 5 of 6 free throws in the final 1:15 to clinch the win and improve to 7-9 overall, 2-1 in the LSC South. Eastern fell to 6-9, 0-2 in the LSC South.

A&M-C was led by Katedria Mosley, with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Portia Mitchell, Althea Byfield and Hazel Woods each scored 14 points, with Mitchell adding 13 rebounds and Byfield earning 11 boards. ENMU received 18 points from sophomore guard Heather Brown (Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) and 17 points from Robertson. Erika Cook (Fr., G, Portales, NM/Portales HS) recorded her first double-digit game with the Zias, as she scored 10 points to go with two assists and three steals.

Eastern controlled the final 11 minutes of the first half, as the Zias extended a 17-15 lead with 10:48 on the clock into a 35-19 margin with 4:06 left in the stanza. The 18-4 run included a 3-pointer, a layup and two foul shots from Robertson. The Lions closed the half with a 9-4 run to pull within 39-28 at the break.

TAMU-Commerce put in the first seven points of the second half, as the ENMU lead shrunk to four points, 39-35, with 18:11 left. Brown countered with a 3-pointer for Eastern with 17:36 to go, and the Zias remained in front by four to seven points until a layup by Alicia Johnson moved Commerce within 56-53 at the 9:50 mark.

The Lions tied the game at 58-58 on a free throw by Byfield with 7:48 left. Eastern scored the next four points, but A&M-C tied the game, 62-62, on baskets by Mitchell and Byfield. Woods gave the Lions the lead for good, 65-62, when she sank a 3-pointer with 5:35 to go. It was the only 3-pointer for TAMU-Commerce, which went 1 of 8 from 3-point range.

Mitchell added a three throw with 2:07 remaining, before Robertson’s jumper cut the lead to 66-64. Mitchell went 2 for 2 at the line with 1:15 to go and Jennifer McCord tacked on two foul shots with 36 seconds left, as A&M-C increased its lead to 70-64. Brown made a 3-pointer for Eastern with eight seconds left, but Woods clinched the win by hitting the second of two free throw chances with four seconds on the clock.

Commerce earned a 46-30 advantage on the glass, as Mitchell, Byfield and Mosley combined for 34 rebounds. The trio of Lions also blocked eight ENMU shots. Robertson and Loren Scarlett (Sr., Post, Throckmorton, TX/Throckmorton HS) led Eastern with six rebounds each. Riikka Lehtonen (Jr., Post, Turku, Finland/Kilgore College) recorded all three of Eastern’s blocked shots and also earned a game-high six assists.

The Lions shot 41.9% from the field (26 of 62) and were nearly matched by ENMU’s 41:4% (24 of 58). A&M-C converted 18 of 26 free throw attempts (69.2%), including 12 of 18 in the second half. The Zias were 11 of 15 at the line (73.3%), on a 9-of-11 performance in the first half, followed by 2 of 4 in the second period.

ENMU will remain at home to host Midwestern State University on Saturday, Jan. 22. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST. Midwestern State was defeated by West Texas A&M University, 90-61, on Jan. 20, as the Lady Indians dropped to 6-10, 1-2 in the LSC South.