Zias rout TWU, gain share of lead

DENTON, Texas — There was no letdown Saturday for the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team.

The Zias built a 14-point halftime lead and expanded it steadily the rest of the way in rolling to a 77-46 win over Texas Woman’s in Lone Star Conference South division play.

Freshman guard Heather Brown followed her 25-point outing in a four-point win at Midwestern State on Thursday with 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field against the Pioneers. ENMU (12-9, 6-2 South) won for the eighth time in 10 games and pulled into a tie for first in the South with West Texas A&M (18-3, 6-2), which saw its 13-game winning streak come to an end Saturday night in a 70-66 overtime loss at Midwestern.

Junior guard Laci Lee added 14 points and sophomore guard Kristi McGuire added 12, while senior post Jereena Bosket scored all 11 of her points in the first half. The Zias trailed briefly at the start, but opened a 39-25 cushion by the half.

Eastern shot 51 percent for the game while holding TWU (2-18, 1-7) to just 29 percent. The only player in double figures for the Pioneers was forward Kenyada Frazier with 13 points.

“We were worried about a letdown, but we came out and played hard the whole game,” ENMU women’s coach Dan Buzard said. “Overall, our effort was great in this game. We stepped up in the second half and put the game away pretty early.”

Brown converted 19-of-22 field goal tries on the two-game road trip, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

“Every shot she shoots just looks like it’s going in,” Buzard said. “And Kristi McGuire played well. She was aggressive on the offensive end, and her defense was really good tonight.”

The Zias used an 8-0 streak to build their lead to 24 points with 13 minutes left. They led by as much as 33 in the final minute.

ENMU and WT each plays its next four games at home before finishing the regular season on the road against Angelo State and Abilene Christian at the end of February.

Buzard acknowledged that his team, picked for the cellar in the South’s preseason poll, is in a good position.

“I knew we’d have a chance to be in the top four (and make the LSC postseason tournament),” Buzard said. “We’re trying to prove those people wrong who picked us for last in the conference.”

ENMU 77, Texas Woman’s 46

ENMU (12-9, 6-2) — Jereena Bosket 5-8 1-1 11, Elizabeth Richards 3-6 2-2 9, Loren Scarlett 1-3 3-4 5, Heather Brown 7-8 0-0 15, Laci Lee 7-13 0-0 14, Casey Rodriguez 0-2 0-0 0, Mika Robertson 0-3 2-2 2, Kristi McGuire 5-13 0-0 12, Ashley Golden 0-0 0-0 0, Nicole Taute 0-1 0-0 0, Tiana Bryant 3-4 3-4 9. Totals 31-61 11-13 77.

Texas Woman’s (2-19, 1-7) — Kenyada Frazier 5-7 3-10 13, Lacey Pemberton 1-7 1-2 3, Lauri Engleman 2-6 2-2 8, Megan McCrummen 2-7 3-4 9, Julie Prescher 1-5 1-2 4, Cassie Thornburg 0-2 0-0 0, Kelley Humphries 0-1 0-0 0, Daphne Lyons 0-4 3-4 3, Emily Hartman 3-9 0-1 6. Totals 14-48 13-25 46.

Halftime — ENMU 39, Texas Woman’s 25. 3-pointers — ENMU 4-12 (McGuire 2-4, Richards 1-1, Brown 1-2, Robertsoon 0-1, Lee 0-4), Texas Woman’s 5-14 (McCrummen 2-3, Engleman 2-5, Prescher 1-4, Pemberton 0-1, Thornburg 0-1). Rebounds — ENMU 42 (Bosket 9), Texas Woman’s 29 (Engleman 7). Assists — ENMU 13 (Brown, Lee 3), Texas Woman’s 12 (McCrummen 3). Total fouls — ENMU 24, Texas Woman’s 17. Fouled out — none. A — 132.