LAS VEGAS, N.M. – A late comeback came up short for Eastern New Mexico Women's Basketball, falling 55-53 against New Mexico Highlands University on Saturday night at the John A. Wilson Complex. The Greyhounds slip to 1-1overall, while the Cowgirls improve to 2-0.
 
The home Cowgirls wasted no time to take a large lead over Eastern, using a 15-1 streak to start the game. ENMU used a small streak of their own to end the quarter, with Edecia Beck hitting a shot from range to end the quarter 17-8 NMHU.
 
In the second frame, both teams locked up defensively and made it difficult to score any points. ENMU used two three-pointers and two layups to cut the New Mexico Highlands lead to 24-18 at halftime.
 
Coming out of the locker room, both teams picked up offensively. Back-to-back three-pointer from Deja Adrian and a layup Julieta Ceja cut the score to 28-26 NMHU in the opening stages of the third period. However, the Cowgirls kept their distance from ENMU as the Greyhounds tried to erase the NMHU advantage. New Mexico Highlands held a 40-34 lead heading into the final period.
 
To start the final period, Eastern stormed out with a 8-2 run to tie the game at 42-42. Lazurea Saunders provided six points in the run, and a Adrian fastbreak layup tied the contest. However, NMHU responded with a short run of their own, going ahead 51-46 with just three minutes to play. ENMU battled back with a handful of scoring possessions, but in the end NMHU held on to a 55-53 win over Eastern.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Hounds ended the night with 29.6% (16-54) shooting from the field, 30.0% (6-20) at a distance, and 78.9% (15-19) from the foul line. The Cowgirls finished with a 33.3% (21-63) field goal percentage, 26.1% (6-23) from behind the arc, and 43.8 % (7-16) at the free throw line.
• Each team collected 40 rebounds during the contest.
• Adrian paced the Greyhounds with 18 points and led the team with 10 rebounds. Ceja picked up 11 points during the game, while Beck finished with nine points.
• Beck and Ceja were effective on the glass, pulling down seven rebounds each.
• Defensively, Saunders lead the team with three steals.

FROM THE SOURCE

"Tonight, we didn't get the result we wanted but it's about the process," said Head Women's Basketball Coach Meghan De los Reyes. "We had a slow start, which was tough to recover from, yet we got better on both ends as the game went on," said De los Reyes. "We work extremely hard every day, and we are growing as a group tremendously, so we are excited to learn from this one and get back on the court Thanksgiving week in Greyhound Arena".

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Adrian posted a double-double (18 points and 10 rebounds), their first in the ENMU jersey.
• Corin Camara scored the first points of their Greyhound career.
• ENMU play their next game in 11 days, when nationally ranked Eckerd College come to Portales, N.M. for the Greyhounds home opener. First tip is scheduled for 5 p.m.