ENMU women improve to 10-0 in LSC, edge Angelo in OT

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Maybe this is the year for the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team.

Junior guard Mikaehla Connor scored a career-best 25 points and added nine rebounds while junior post Daeshi McCants posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 caroms as the Greyhounds completed a perfect first-half run though the Lone Star Conference on Saturday with a 76-72 overtime win over eighth-ranked Angelo State.

ENMU (14-3, 10-0 LSC) won its seventh game in a row, its longest since the 2003-04 season, and it marks the first time the Hounds have opened league play with 10 consecutive wins.

ENMU had lost the last three against Angelo, but is now 4-4 against the second-place Rambelles (14-2, 8-2) in the last eight meetings.

Senior post Jasmine Prophet scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Rambelles, but fouled out late in regulation. Senior guard Taylor Dorsey played all 45 minutes and added 19, while senior forward Lexi Murphy posted a double-double off the bench with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Hounds had a seven-point lead in the second quarter, only to see ASU pull even 29-29 at halftime. Angelo’s biggest lead was six, in the second half.

Junior guard Brandi Gomez, who finished with 10 points, hit all three shots on a three-point foul late in the game, then sent it into OT on a 3-pointer from the key with 11 seconds left — ENMU’s only field goal in the final five minutes of regulation.

Angelo State managed a one-point lead early in the OT period, but with the score tied, Connor hit back-to-back layups to put ENMU in front for good at 69-65.

A free throw by junior guard Jasmine Hotchkins with three seconds left made it a four-point game and effectively put it out of reach.

The game was remarkably even up and down the line. Both teams struggled from the field, shooting under 35 percent, and each made just 4-of-17 from 3-point range.

Angelo led in rebounds 55-51, both teams had 12 assists, ENMU had one more turnover and both sides have five blocked shots. The slight difference came at the free throw line, where the Hounds were 26-of-35 — including 7-of-7 for Connor, 7-of-8 for McCants and 5-of-5 for Gomez — while the Rambelles were 22-of-32.

The victory gives the program its 14-win campaign since the 2006-07 season. It was Angelo State’s first home loss of the season in 13 games.

ENMU begins the second round of LSC play on Tuesday, hosting rival West Texas A&M at Greyhound Arena in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff. The Hounds overcame an early 12-point deficit to outlast the Lady Buffs 72-67 on Dec. 3 at Canyon.