Sunday, November 6, 2016

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Mikaehla Connor paced three players in double figures for the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team in Sunday's exhibition game. The Greyhounds closed to within nine points, late in the fourth quarter, but a surge by University of New Mexico over the closing minutes propelled the Lobos to an 89-70 win at The Pit.

Facing an early 3-2 deficit, ENMU used an 8-3 run, capped by a fastbreak layup from Connor. The surge staked the Hounds to their largest lead in the game, 11-6, with 4:55 left in the first quarter. The Lobos managed to knot the score at 11, but a pair of free throws from Connor gave ENMU a 13-11 advantage. Three free throws from Emily Lines and Mykiel Burleson allowed UNM to hold a 14-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Lobos continued to pull away and led by nine points at halftime.

Although ENMU trailed 41-32 at intermission, they enjoyed a 29-27 edge on the boards, which included a 9-5 lead on the offensive glass. The Hounds also limited the Lobos to just two buckets from three-point range over the first 20 minutes of play. Connor led Eastern with eight points and three assists at half, while Daeshi McCants had five points and eight boards.

Eastern closed to within six points midway through the third quarter, 49-43, on a trey from Eliza Martinez, but the Lobos scored the next five points to seize an 11-point lead on a Jasia Nunn layup. After UNM took a 75-59 lead with 6:32 left in the fourth, Amari Dennis hit a three-point basket to spark a final run which trimmed the deficit to nine points, 79-70, on her free throw with 3:48 left. The Lobos managed to pull away for the win over the remaining few minutes.

For the game, UNM held a slim 42-40 edge in points scored in the paint, although Eastern enjoyed a 10-6 lead in fast break points. Connor finished with 15 points and four assists. McCants and Dennis each had 12 points, while Dennis dished out five assists. Kassandra Harris chipped in eight points and nine rebounds. Burleson paced the Lobos with 19 points.

The Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team will open the 2016-17 season at home with the ENMU Women's Regional Challenge, next Friday and Saturday. The Hounds will face South Dakota Mines & Technology on Friday at 1 p.m., after Fort Lewis plays University of Texas of the Permian Basin at 11 a.m.