Zias win LSC opener

Freedom New Mexico: Tony Bullocks ENMU junior Lace Clark shoots a free throw in the second half of Wednesday's game against Texas A & M Kingsville.

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University’s women overcame a slow start with a 17-0 second-half run Wednesday to beat Texas A&M-Kingsville 69-64 in the Lone Star Conference South Division opener for both teams at Greyhound Arena.

Senior guard Vanessa O’Neal of Clovis scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half as the Zias (3-10) snapped a five-game losing streak.

Junior forward Precious Herrin led ENMU with 17 points and nine rebounds, while junior guard Lace Clark added 10 points off the bench.

“Every night for me the game plan is to force turnovers and get points,” O’Neal said. “With me and a couple of other girls out there, we’re out there to make a play for the team.”

Sophomore point guard Meagan Barlow paced the Javelinas (2-11) with 15 points, and sophomore post Victoria Gonzalez notched a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Gonzales also blocked four shots.

The Zias trailed 26-13 with less than five minutes left in the half and were still down 55-45 when guard Nikki Ingram’s 3-pointer with 7:42 to play started the turnaround. Clark added a 3-pointer while O’Neal, who has 45 points in the last three games, tallied six points during the run as the Zias opened a 62-55 lead with 2:31 left.

Kingsville climbed within 64-62 on a pair of Barlow free throws, but ENMU made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 49 seconds to nail it down. The Zias made 21-of-29 second-half free throws.

“Vanessa is our little sparkplug,” Zias coach Linden Weese said. “I’m really proud of how she did tonight. I told the kids at halftime we needed to take advantage of the free throw line and make some points there.”

Prior to the Zias’ late run, Kingsville trailed only once in the game — at 4-2 in the second minute.

“If you look at the game, we were called for 23 personal fouls and they shot 33 free throws to our seven,” Javelinas coach Scott Hyland said. “We’re an attacking team and don’t foul a lot.

“I thought our kids play their hearts out, but up by 10 points the game changed and that was something that was out of our players’ hands.”

Kingsville shot 48 percent from the field and hit 7-of-17 from 3-point range, but committed 20 turnovers to only seven for ENMU.