Zias' late rally not enough in loss to Lions

With a chance to move up in the Lone Star Conference standings, the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball squad put together a big comeback behind three players scoring in double figures.

Turned out, they needed four.

Breanna Harris scored 15 points to lead four in double figures for Texas A&M-Commerce, which escaped Greyhound Arena with a 66-64 Lone Star Conference win on Saturday afternoon when a 3-point attempt by Texico freshman Jaylyn Cooper came up short.

CMI correspondent: Joshua LuceroENMU sophomore Jasmine Johnson shoots over Texas A&M-Commerce's Sarah Duran during the first half of Saturday's Lone Star Conference women's basketball game at Greyhound Arena. Johnson scored 10 points in the Zias' 66-64 loss to the Lions.

La'Tisha Hearne added 14 points for the Lions (10-15, 8-12 LSC), who nearly squandered a 10-point lead in the final five minutes and a four-point lead in the final 10 seconds.

The Zias remain in the LSC's eighth and final playoff spot, and will face top-seeded Midwestern State (21-5, 16-4) in a 5 p.m. (MST) tipoff at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.

The Zias split the season series with Midwestern, winning at home 70-62 in December losing at Wichita Falls 67-52. The winner will take on either fourth-seeded Tarleton State or No. 5 Incarnate Word in a 5 p.m. (MST) semifinal on Friday.

The Lions, seeded seventh, face second-seeded Abilene Christian on the other side of the bracket in an 11 a.m. (MST) Wednesday contest. The winner plays either third-seeded West Texas A&M or No. 6 Angelo State at noon on Friday.

For the Zias, guard Lakeeyscia Griffin posted the team's third double-double of the season and just missed a triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, while Jasmine Johnson added 10 points and five boards.

Guard Hannah Altheide scored 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including a layup with 10 seconds left to cut the Commerce lead to 2. The Zias got a chance to steal the victory when Commerce forward Symone Brown missed a pair of free throws, and set up the final attempt for Cooper, who finished with nine points and six rebounds.