PORTALES, N.M. - The Eastern New Mexico women's basketball team remained undefeated in Lone Star Conference play Thursday evening, defeating RV St. Mary's 65-58 at the Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena. The victory moves the Greyhounds to 10-4 overall and a perfect 6-0 in league action.
 
"We really showed a ton of fight and handled adversity really well in the fourth quarter" stated head coach Blake Huber. "I'm proud of how we finished the game and executed down the stretch."
 
The win marks the fourth straight victory for the Greyhounds, who have now come out on top in nine of their last 10 contests.
 
Nataya Lockett led the charge for the Hounds, providing a spark off the bench with a team-high 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Lockett also facilitated the offense effectively, dishing out four assists while adding three rebounds and a steal in 23 minutes of action.
 
"Nataya took over the game and showed why she's one of the better guards in this league" Huber continued. "We also got almost every 50/50 ball late in the game."
 
Chloe Dallas made a significant impact in her first game back in the lineup since Dec. 1, 2025. Dallas contributed 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and a 4-of-9 performance from the free-throw line. The forward also anchored the defense with a pair of blocks while pulling down six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
 
Julieta Ceja continued her consistent play in the starting lineup, finishing the night with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five rebounds. Ceja also connected on a three-pointer and played solid defense in 34 minutes of action.
 
Victoria Barrera provided quality minutes off the bench, scoring eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including a 2-of-3 performance from beyond the arc. Mekhila Brown, who found herself in foul trouble throughout the contest, chipped in four points and four rebounds in 10 minutes, while Tatiana Platonova added five assists and two rebounds in 30 minutes as a starter.
 
The Greyhounds' depth proved to be the deciding factor in the contest. Eastern New Mexico's bench outscored St. Mary's reserves 44-13, showcasing the bench that has become a hallmark of the team this season. The bench production was critical in helping ENMU maintain control throughout the matchup against the Rattlers.
 
Eastern New Mexico shot 46.3 percent from the field (25-of-54) and connected on 31.3 percent from three-point range (5-of-16).
 
St. Mary's (9-3, 4-2 LSC) was led by Christin Callens and Quezia Bertoni with 12 points each. Allie Garcia added 11 points for the Rattlers, who shot 47.9 percent from the field but struggled to match ENMU's bench production.
 
The game featured 10 ties and 16 lead changes throughout the competitive contest. Eastern New Mexico outscored St. Mary's 21-16 in the second quarter to take a 31-27 lead into halftime, then held off the Rattlers in the second half to secure the victory.
 
With the win, Eastern New Mexico maintains its position at the top of the Lone Star Conference standings. The Hounds' defensive intensity, balanced scoring attack and dominant bench play have been key drivers during its current four-game winning streak.
 
"We need to carry this momentum into Saturday." Huber added.
 
The Greyhounds will look to extend its streak when they return to action on Saturday, January 10, against St. Edward's. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside the Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena in Portales.