ENMU Loses to Tarleton State, 90-62

Box Score

STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS — Eastern New Mexico University came up short in a second half comeback, going down 90-62 to Tarleton State University in a Lone Star Conference South Division game on Thursday, Feb. 23 in Wisdom Gym. The Zias dropped their overall record to 10-17 and 2-11 in the LSC South. The TexAnns improved their record to 19-7 overall and remained in the hunt for first place in the LSC South with a 11-2 record.

Eastern made a gallant comeback after Tarleton jumped out to a early 40-13 lead through the first 14 minutes of play. The Zias outscored the TexAnns 18-5 in the final 5:47 of the first half for a 45-31 deficit at the intermission. Heather Brown (Jr., G, Hereford, TX/Hereford HS) started the run by hitting one of her three treys in the game as the Zias scored 12 unanswered points. A jumper by Rosalyn Elliott (So., G, Stanley, NM/Lubbock Christian University) was followed by a three-pointer by Lindsey Wood (Fr., G, Muleshoe, TX/Muleshoe HS) to get Eastern to within 19 points (40-21) with 3:40 to play. Megan Ratliff’s (Jr., G, Farmington, NM/Cochise College) layup, two free throws by Brown and a three-pointer by Tiana Bryant (Sr., P, Roswell, NM/University of New Mexico) made it 42-28 with just over a minute left in the half. Brown converted another shot from beyond the arc to close out Eastern’s scoring in the first half.

Brown scored the first basket of the second half for a 45-33 deficit. After a three-pointer by Tarleton’s Katie Crawford got the lead back to 15 points, Eastern scored the next five points on layups by Missy Kirkland (Jr., G, Arlington, TX/Hill College) and Ratliff, who converted a free throw for a three point play. This would be as close as Eastern would get (48-38) with 17:49 to play. The TexAnns answered with a 18-7 run to go up 66-45 with 9:14 left on the clock. Tarleton’s lead would grow to a high of 30 points in the final minute of the game.

ENMU converted 44.4% of its three pointer, but only 35.7% of its shots inside the arc. Brown led the Zias with 17 points and four assists. Bryant finished with 13 points and tied for game-high honors with seven rebounds. Eastern was outrebounded 43-29 and had some success on defense by forcing Tarleton into committing 14 turnovers.

TSU had four players finish in double-figures in scoring, led by a game-high 22 points by Crawford, who went 6-9 from three-point land. Amanda Franklin scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while D’Anna Dingler contributed 14 points. Kimberly Smith added 13 points as the fourth TexAnn to finish in double-digits in scoring.

ENMU will conclude the 2005-06 season on Saturday, Feb. 25. The final game will be against Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas scheduled for a 5 p.m. MST tip-off.