Wednesday, March 04, 2015

ALLEN, TEXAS — All-Lone Star Conference guard Sarah Stinnett (Jr., Fort Sumner, N.M./Howard College) poured in 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and five steals, but the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team (9-18) was unable to overcome an early deficit and dropped a 70-49 decision to second-seeded Midwestern State (22-5) in the opening game of the Lone Star Conference Tournament at the Allen Events Center. The contest marked Eastern's third trip to the LSC Championships in the last four seasons.
 
The Mustangs got off to a quick start and seized a 17-4 lead on Shatoia Gober's jumper with 11:57 left in the opening half. After the teams traded baskets down the stretch, Brittany Gutierrez (Gallup, N.M./Otero JC) capped a fast break with a layup, followed by a Stinnett jumper. Less than one minute later, Jasmine Johnson (Sr., P, DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto HS) connected on a jumper for ENMU's sixth straight points, as ENMU exploded on an 11-4 run to pull within six points, 29-23, on a Brittany Gutierrez (Gallup, N.M./Otero JC) trey with 1:01 left in the opening half. Andrea Carter's layup with 44 seconds on the clock allowed MSU to take a 31-23 edge into the locker room. Gober scored the first four points of the second half for a 12-point advantage. Eastern pulled within 10 points on three occasions, the final coming with 16:21 left on a Johnson layup, for a 39-29 score.
 
The Zias forced 18 turnovers and committed just 13 of their own, to hold a 17-12 lead in points off turnovers. The Mustangs finished with a 59-34 edge in rebounding and a 14-4 lead in second-chance points. Johnson poured in 14 points, shot six-for-12 from the floor and grabbed nine rebounds for the Zias. Gutierrez chipped in five points and five rebounds. Carter paced Midwestern State with 19 points and 17 rebounds.
 
The Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team has concluded its 2014-15 season.