Cold-shooting Zias fall to UIW

SAN ANTONIO — So far this season, the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team has run either hot or cold.

Saturday, after beating Texas A&M-Kingsville 79-71 two nights earlier, the Zias struggled mightily to find the basket and absorbed a 61-41 Lone Star Conference loss at the hands of Incarnate Word.

ENMU (2-5, 1-1 LSC) has had three games with 70 or more points, including a 100-96 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State, but against UIW (5-1, 1-1) suffered its third outing of 42 or less. The Cardinals, meantime, bounced back from a 10-point home loss to West Texas A&M on Thursday.

ENMU shot under 30 percent in each half and finished at 24 percent for the game (12-of-51), including 2-of-14 from 3-point range. Senior forward Precious Herrin was held to 4-of-12 shooting and 10 points after setting a school record with 40 at Kingsville, although she nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds.

Senior forward Chloe Wallace posted a double-double with game-highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds for UIW, which broke the game open after struggling in its own right early on and leading 24-19 at halftime.

Guard Jocelyn Jarmon added 14 points and six assists for Incarnate, and guard Katy Cooke hit 3-of-4 from 3-point range en route to 13 points.

The Zias hit only one of their first 12 shots before senior guard Lace Clark buried a 3-pointer to tie the game 7-7 with 11:19 left in the half. Clark added two free throws at the 8:15 mark for ENMU’s only lead at 9-8, but Cooke’s 3-pointer on the next trip put UIW ahead for good and kicked off a 7-0 run.

ENMU got within four points twice, and cut it to five on Herrin’s jumper just before the half expired.

Incarnate then scored the first nine points of the second half to build a 14-point margin, and the lead stayed between 12 and 22 the rest of the way.

The Cardinals rebounded from a 26 percent performance in the first half to shoot 50 percent (10-of-20) the rest of the way. They also dominated the boards 49-32.

Northcutt finished with five of ENMU’s seven assists and moved within three of Stephanie Brockman’s school career record of 461.