Zias notch first win at Angelo since 1996

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Seniors Precious Herrin and Kiara Tate combined for 35 points off the bench and senior guard Tori Northcutt drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:34 left as Eastern New Mexico University’s women ended a 15-game losing streak at Angelo State with a 63-58 Lone Star Conference win over the Rambelles on Wednesday night.

Herrin scored 18 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds while Tate went 11-of-13 from the free throw line and finished with 17 points for the Zias (8-13, 6-9 LSC), who won their season-high third game in a row. ENMU’s last victory at Angelo State came on Dec. 14, 1996.

Freshman forward Haylee Oliver scored 15 points off the bench to lead four players in double figures for the Rambelles (11-10, 9-6), but the Zias held team scoring leader Paige Weishuhn to two points on 1-of-11 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range.

Sophomore forward Lauren Holt added 12 points for the Rambelles, who were 7-1 at home coming in, including 6-0 in LSC play.

ENMU led virtually all the way. Angelo took its only lead at 52-50 on a jump shot by Oliver with 2:34 left, but Herrin countered with a basket 13 seconds later to tie it.

Weishuhn then missed a 3-pointer before Northcutt’s 3-pointer and a three-point play by Tate gave the Zias a five-point lead with under a minute left, completing an 8-0 run, and Tate wrapped up the win by sinking four free throws in the final 17 seconds.

ENMU shot 54 percent in the first half en route to a 31-27 halftime lead. The Zias used a 9-0 run that included five points from Northcutt and four from Herrin for a 16-5 lead with 9 1/2 minutes to go in the half.

Angelo briefly tied the game early in the second half, but trailed again until Oliver’s free throw with 3:27 left made it 50-50.