ENMU women fade late in 69-51 setback to UTPB

Eastern New Mexico University's women came into Saturday's Lone Star Conference matchup against West Division-leading Texas-Permian Basin on a two-game home winning streak, with impressive victories over West Texas A&M and Angelo State.

They weren't able to make it three in a row, though, struggling to just 30 percent from the floor in a 69-51 loss to the Falcons at Greyhound Arena.

ENMU (7-13, 3-11 LSC) currently sits 14th of 16 teams in the conference pecking order, needing to reach the top eight to make the tournament. Five of their eight remaining games are on the road.

First-year ENMU coach Blake Huber said the Hounds may have to win out now to get there.

"We didn't execute anything," he said of Saturday's tilt. "We haven't been a good offensive team all year."

Against UTPB (17-3, 12-2), which won its seventh in a row and set a program record for its most LSC wins since joining the conference several years ago, ENMU fell behind by 16 points in the second frame, closed to 41-39 late in the third and then saw the Falcons hold them scoreless for six minutes to put the contest away.

The Hounds hit four 3-pointers over the final 4 ½ minutes for all their fourth-quarter points. Three were by freshman guard Daci Smith of Roswell, including a 35-footer at the buzzer to lift them over 50 points.

Senior guard Andreea Mancha led UTPB with 18 points, shooting 5-of-7 from 3-point distance. Senior forward Khiara Flugence went 6-for-9 from the floor and added 13 points off the bench, while senior post Alexus Quaadman finished with 10 tallies.

The Falcons shot 50 percent both from the field (26-of-52) and distance (8-of-16), and outrebounded the Hounds 37-30.

"They're a really good team," UTPB coach Rae Boothe said of the Hounds. "I think we were able to capitalize on some foul trouble they had.

"I think they were the only team that's outrebounded us (in the earlier matchup at Odessa, Texas, won by the Falcons 59-57)."

Only freshman guard Jaz Salon reached double digits for ENMU with 15 points on 5-of-8 from 3-point range. The Hounds went 17-of-57 from the floor, taking 34 3-point attempts and converting 11 of them.

Huber said foul trouble for senior guard/forward Deja Adrian was something his squad couldn't survive.

"Once Deja picked up her third foul (late in the third quarter), everything fell apart," he said. "They (Falcons) got a lot of 50-50 balls."

This week, ENMU begins a stretch of four consecutive road games, traveling to Midwestern State on Thursday night and to Cameron on Saturday.