PORTALES, N.M. - Kirsti Degelia's traditional three-point play with 9.1 seconds remaining in overtime broke an 8:30 field goal drought and lifted Midwestern State to a 70-67 win over Eastern New Mexico in Lone Star Conference action Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Arena.
The win extended MSU's longest winning streak since 2003-04 to seven games as the Mustangs have won 10 of 11 to improve to 11-3 on the season and to 6-1 in league play.
Midwestern returns to action for Rivalry Week against Cameron Wednesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
The Mustangs let a 10-point lead with 8:03 to play slip away as the Zias would limit MSU to a single field goal for the remainder of regulation.
Eastern New Mexico tallied the final nine points of regulation sending the game to overtime on the strength of a Precious Herrin fadeaway to tie the game at 63-63 with 26.6 seconds remaining.
The Mustangs blitzed ENMU for six 3-pointers in the first half and led by as many as 15 points at 36-21 with 3:13 to play in the first half, but the Zias used charity stripe to go on a 10-0 run hitting 8-of-10 free throws during the stretch to cut the MSU advantage to 36-31.
Eastern New Mexico rallied to within 36-35 on Hannah Altheide's long two before the Mustangs restored order to slowly reconstruct the lead to 58-48 before suffering through the field goal drought.
Midwestern trailed briefly in the overtime period at 65-64 after a pair of free throws by ENMU's Tori Northcutt, but the Mustangs battled back without the benefit of a field goal as
Shatoia Gober went 1-for-2 from the line before
Savannah Carver knocked down a pair of free throws with 54 seconds to go to give the Mustangs a 67-65 edge.
Eastern New Mexico Kiara Tate, who finished with a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds, hit a tough runner in the lane with 39.0 seconds to go.
But Degelia beat Tate to the right side of the paint and layed it in with her right hand with a bump from behind to deliver the win for MSU.
Carver paced the Mustangs with 15 points including a pair of 3-pointers while senior forward
Jazman Patterson pitched in 11 points and nine rebounds.
Jones came off of the bench for 12 points including nine in the first half.
Eastern New Mexico fell to 4-11 on the season and to 2-7 in Lone Star Conference play.
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