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LSC North champs end shorthanded Zias' season

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — A successful season for Eastern New Mexico University's women came down to a crashing end Tuesday night, as Northeastern State routed the shorthanded Zias 77-46 Tuesday night at Jack Dobbins Fieldhouse.

Leslie Warner had a game-high 20 points to lead four in double figures for Northeastern State, the Lone Star Conference North Division champion. The Zias, the fourth seed in the LSC’s South Division, played without injured starters Laci Lee and Jereena Bosket in their season finale.

Lee (ankle) and Bosket (concussion) were both injured in Saturday’s regular season finale at Abilene Christian, a 75-42 loss that helped seed the Zias against Northeastern.

The Lady Reds (22-6) took advantage of the Zia woes, as they never trailed and led 41-17 at the half. Alicia Keys added 14 points for Northeastern, while Rikki Hall and Mindy Foster had 11 each. Hall also had a game-high 11 rebounds.

Elizabeth Richards scored 17 points to lead the Zias, followed by Tiana Bryant with 13. Nobody else reached double figures for ENMU (16-12), which was held to 29.2 percent shooting and outscored 41-1 on bench points.

The Zias, who were picked last in the conference’s preseason poll in the eight-team South Division, were in a three-way tie for first heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Still, Eastern more than doubled last year’s win total (seven) in Dan Buzard’s second season.

Buzard could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Northeastern State 77, ENMU 46

ENMU (16-12) — Elizabeth Richards 6-12 5-11 17, Heather Brown 2-9 0-4 4, Kristi McGuire 3-13 2-4 8, Loren Scarlett 1-6 0-0 3, Tiana Bryant 6-7 1-2 13, Casey Rodriguez 0-0 1-1 1, Mika Robertson 0-1 0-0 0, Ashley Golden 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-48 9-22 46.

Northeastern State (22-6) — Cara Busson 0-2 0-0 0, Kelli Griffith 1-4 0-1 2, Emily Eaves 1-1 1-2 3, Leslie Warner 7-14 2-2 20, Rikki Hall 4-9 0-0 11, Katy Kelley 0-2 2-2 2, Jenna Miller 2-7 2-2 7, Bobbi Truelove 3-6 0-2 7, Alicia Keys 4-7 3-4 14, Mindy Foster 4-10 2-2 11. Totals 26-62 12-17 77.

Halftime — Northeastern State 41, ENMU 17. 3-pointers — ENMU 1-15 (Scarlett 1-2, Richards 0-1, Robertson 0-1, McGuire 0-5, Brown 0-6), Northeastern State 13-32 (Warner 4-8, Keys 3-4, Hall 3-5, Foster 1-4, Miller 1-4, Truelove 1-4, Busson 0-1, Griffith 0-1, Kelley 0-1). Rebounds — ENMU 33 (Bryant 9), Northeastern State 46 (Hall 11). Assists — ENMU 4 (four with 1), Northeastern State 21 (Busson 4). Total fouls — ENMU 16, Northeastern State 18. Fouled out — Richards. A — 1,200.

 
 
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