LAREDO, TEXAS – Eastern New Mexico Women's Basketball held the top scoring team in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) to just 60 points, but fell to (RV) Texas A&M International, 60-56, on Thursday evening at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building. With the defeat, the Greyhounds shift to 6-11 overall with a LSC record of 2-9. The Dustdevils improve to 16-4 on the season with an 8-4 conference record.
 
Both teams were slow to get the scoring started in the opening two periods. With the score at 12-7 TAMIU after the first quarter, both teams went back and forth in the second frame. The Dustdevils held a 10 point lead going into halftime, after closing the period on a 7-1 streak (25-15 TAMIU).

Eastern found its offensive spark to start the 3^rd period, erupting for 10 straight points in the opening 2:14 to tie the game at 25-25. First, Ashley Shipley connected on a three-pointer, then baskets from Deja Adrian, Ishuana Hunter, and Jamila Nansikombi-Gunter evened the score (25-25). Both teams traded baskets from that point, with Adrian and Nansikombi-Gunter providing all the Greyhound scoring the rest of the quarter, 38-38. In the final quarter, the Dustdevils took a slight lead of just four points and maintained that lead for the rest of the period.  A pair of three-pointers from Jaz Salon helped keep pace, but the Dustdevils held on to win 60-56 over the Greyhounds.

NOTABLE STATS

• Eastern struggled to find clear looks at the basket, connecting on 32.8% of their field goal attempts (19-58). Additionally, Eastern finished 6-19 from behind the arc (31.6%) and 75.0% at the foul line (12-16). The home Dustdevils sported a 44.7% field goal percentage (21-47), making just three three-pointers during the game (3-12, 25.0%), along with a 68.2% free throw percentage (15-22).
• The Dustdevils out rebounded the Greyhounds 36-27 on the evening, while Eastern came away with more steals in the game (10-7)
• Nansikombi-Gunter emerged as ENMU's leading scorer, with 17 points and a team best five steals. Adrian supplied 14 points in the loss, while Hunter contributed 12 points.
• Hunter paced ENMU with nine rebounds, with Nansikombi-Gunter trailing with eight boards. Salon facilitated the offense with eight assists from the bench.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Nansikombi-Gunter provided their best scoring game since scoring 19 points against Western Colorado (11/18).
• Eastern posted their highest assist total of the season, with the Greyhounds registering 17 assists. Jaz Salon led all competitors with eight assists during the game, a new career high.
• The Greyhounds hope to bounce back against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, Jan. 27. Eastern and the Javelinas are expected to tip-off at 12 p.m. (MST).