Zias Move to 2-0 with 87-52 Win over Western New Mexico
Richards Earns 25 Points, 11 Rebounds, Eight Steals; Bryant Adds 21 Points, 10 Rebounds, Four Steals

Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. — Elizabeth Richards (Jr., F, Texico, NM/Texico HS), who sat out the entire 2004-05 season, came within two steals of a triple-double, finishing with a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead Eastern New Mexico University to a 87-52 rout over Western New Mexico University, at Greyhound Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The Zias improved to 2-0 on the season, with both wins over WNMU. Eastern won the previous meeting, 87-61, in Silver City, N.M. on Nov 15. The Lady Mustangs remained winless, as they dropped to 0-4.

Tiana Bryant (Sr., Post, Roswell, NM/Univ. of New Mexico) also finished with a double-double for ENMU, recording a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds in the easy victory. Eastern scored the first seven points of the game, and led 11-2, before Western went on an 11-4 run to get within a basket at 15-13. Following a 30-second time-out, ENMU scored nine unanswered points on the way to a 38-26 halftime lead.

Richards finished the half with a game-leading 14 points and seven rebounds. Bryant also had an outstanding first half, going a perfect 5 for 5 from the floor, including one three-pointer. She went into the intermission with 11 points.

Eastern was even stronger in the second half, increasing its lead to 17 points less than a minute into the half, as Bryant hit a jumper and Richards connected on a 3-pointer. The closest the Lady Mustangs got the rest of the way was a 13-point deficit with 17:53 to play.

Overall in the second half, the Zias outscored the Lady Mustangs, 49-26. Freshman guard Laura Vote (Kingwood, TX/Kingwood HS), who didn’t play in the first half, scored nine points in only six minutes of play. She was perfect from the field, hitting all four of her shots, including a three-pointer.

Junior guard Heather Brown (Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) was effective at point guard, as she finished with eight points and six assists. In addition to earning game highs in points, rebounds and steals (8), Richards dished out four assists and recorded two blocked shots. Eastern’s defense was very solid, accumulating 27 steals en route to forcing Western into 38 turnovers.

Bryant added four steals to her totals, while Brown and Vote each recorded two steals in the game. Junior college transfer Missy Kirkland (Jr., G, Arlington, TX/Hill College) hit a 3-pointer, on her way to seven points, two assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Western had three players in double digits, led by Whitney Lewis’ strong presence inside the key. Lewis finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Tannesia Manley and Natalie Lara added 10 points apiece for the Mustangs, while Nicole Ruegsegger contributed eight points and nine boards.

ENMU’s pair of double-doubles in the same game was a rare event. The last time the Zias had two players with double-doubles on the same night was Jan. 8, 2004, when Laci Lee finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Jereena Bosket provided 16 points and 11 boards. ENMU won that game, 65-63, at Cameron University in Lawton, Okla.

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, ENMU will travel to Canyon, Texas, for the West Texas A&M Tournament. On Friday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. MST, the Zias will take on Montana State Univesity-Billings. Eastern will finish the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 26, with a game against Fort Lewis College, starting at 1 p.m. MST.