WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State junior guard
Nikki Green scored a career-high 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, but Eastern New Mexico scored the final six points of the game and defeated the Mustangs, 65-60, at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Thursday night.
Green came off the bench for MSU and scored seven points in the first period, hitting all four of her free throws in the opening stanza.
Jaz Salon countered for Eastern New Mexico, hitting a pair of 3-pointers en route to six points in the first quarter as the Greyhounds took a 19-15 lead after 10 minutes.
Green caught fire in the second period, knocking down 4-of-5 shots, and hit both of her attempts from 3-point range. The 5-6 junior guard from Dallas had 18 points at halftime.
Salon, a 5-3 freshman guard from Melbourne, Australia, tacked on another nine points in the second quarter for the Greyhounds, who took a 37-34 halftime lead.
Midwestern State held ENMU to seven points in the third quarter as the Greyhounds hit just 3-of-14 shots from the field in the third quarter, and Midwestern took a 45-37 lead with 2:54 remaining in the period.
Green hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter as the Mustangs established a seven point lead, but MSU turned the ball over six times in the final period, and ENMU scored nine points off turnovers.
The Greyhounds had five of their 11 steals in the fourth quarter, and Deja Adrian scored nine of her 21 points in the final 10 minutes. Salon was 3 of 5 from the field in the fourth quarter and finished with a team-leading 22 points.
Trailing 63-60 with 12 seconds to play, Green got a good look at a 3-pointer from the right wing, but her shot rimmed out, and Ishauna Hunter grabbed her 12th rebound of the game, securing the win for ENMU.
Makayla Coy finished with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, but the Mustangs suffered their third-straight loss.
Zarria Carter, who led MSU with 13 rebounds, was limited to six points.
Kertisa Amos scored nine points but was shut out in the fourth quarter.
Eastern New Mexico scored 18 points off 11 turnovers and outrebounded MSU, 34-31, in a game that featured seven ties and 10 lead changes.
Eastern New Mexico improved to 8-13 overall with a 4-11 conference record, sweeping the two-game season series from Midwestern State. The Mustangs fell to 5-17 overall, and they are 5-11 in conference play.
Midwestern State welcomes Western New Mexico to D.L. Ligon Coliseum for the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Game on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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--MSUMustangs.com--