Zias creep closer to playoff berth

After going the entire season to this point without a double-double, Eastern New Mexico University's women nearly had three in one game Wednesday night.

Freshman post Nelsha Peterson matched a season-high with 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Zias held on late to edge Cameron 53-48 in Lone Star Conference women's basketball at Greyhound Arena.

CMI correspondent photo: Joshua Lucero

Zia senior Tara Johnson puts up a shot over Cameron University's Ali Brown in the second half of the Zias game agains the Cameron University Aggies Wednesday evening at Greyhound Arena. Johnson had nine points and 10 rebounds in the Zias' 53-48 win.

Senior guard Tara Johnson added nine points and 10 rebounds and sophomore post Jasmine Johnson chipped in seven points and eight rebounds off the bench as ENMU (5-17, 4-10 LSC), trying to earn a berth in the eight-team LSC postseason tournament, moved a game ahead of Cameron (4-16, 3-11) and into ninth place in the standings.

The top eight teams make the conference tournament.

Junior guard Chelsea Stamp scored 15 points on five 3-pointers — four in the second half — but the Aggies couldn't overcome an 11-point, first-half performance.

The Zias, coming off a win over LSC co-leader Abilene Christian on Saturday, had control of Wednesday's game until late but struggled to put the Aggies away.

"This late in the year, all that matters is you find a way to win and protect home court," said Zias coach Lindsey Wilson, whose team lost a big early lead earlier this season and lost at Cameron 55-50. "They made some adjustments in the second half, and we just had a couple of breakdowns that gave them some open 3s."

Peterson gave the Zias a solid presence inside, going 7-of-17 from the floor. She was ENMU's only double-figure scorer.

"I think maybe we got a little complacent," said Peterson, the younger sister of Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson. "You have to play the full 40 minutes, and I think we may have lost a little focus."

ENMU also struggled throughout the game, but extended a nine-point halftime lead to 29-17 early in the second half and appeared ready to cruise.

"We never really got in a good flow," Wilson said. "They did a good job of taking away our first option."

Stamp hit back-to-back 3s to pull the Aggies to 41-36 with seven minutes left. Baskets by Tara Johnson and Peterson made it a nine-point game, but another 3 by Stamp capped a 7-0 Aggies run to make it 45-43,

Stamp's final 3-pointer, with 25 seconds left, made it 50-48, but senior guard Hannah Altheider hit two free throws and sophomore guard Lakeeyscia Griffin added one for the final margin.

Peterson, the only 6-footer on the team, said she and a number of her young teammates are starting to get more comfortable with the college game.

"I have confidence in myself," she said. "I know we have a young team, but we just have to learn to play the same way every game."

Lacy Reinke, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, added 10 points for Cameron before fouling out late.

Cameron had early leads of 3-0 and 5-4, but the Aggies were stone-cold the rest of the half and nearly didn't make it out of single figures, shooting just 23 percent (5-of-22) in the period.

"You've got to make shots and we didn't," Aggies coach Tom Webb said. "We did a bad job on the glass (outrebounded 41-32, including 14-5 on the offensive boards), and those things killed us.

"We started shooting the ball better, but they did a good job defensively. Lindsey's doing a good job here."