PORTALES, N.M.-- Midwestern State returned from the holiday break and nearly earned its first road win of the season but fell to West Texas A&M, 69-67, on Friday night. The Mustangs face Eastern New Mexico on the second leg of their road trip. Tipoff at Greyhound Arena is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.

The Mustangs had three players score in double figures at West Texas A&M, led by senior Zarria Carter, who recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Kerbie Cash tacked on 14 points and four steals, while freshman Carisa Cortez finished with 11 points and six assists.

Randi Harding's layup with 1.5 seconds remaining dropped MSU to 4-8 overall with a 2-4 conference record.

Carter leads the conference in scoring and rebounding. The native of Mansfield, Texas, is averaging 19.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game for the Mustangs. She is second in the nation with eight double-doubles through the first 12 games of the season. Carter is the 31st-leading scorer among NCAA Division II players and the third-leading rebounder.

Carter also has the best field goal percentage in the LSC, hitting 51.4 percent of her shots. She is 94-of-183 from the field, leading the conference in field goals and attempts.

Cash is the second-leading scorer for Midwestern State with 11.3 points per game, and she is also the second-leading rebounder with 5.8 boards per contest.

Carter and Cash are both among the LSC top-10 in free-throws made and attempted. Carter is 43 of 67 (64.2 percent), and Cash is 42 of 57 (73.7 percent). Carter has the second-most attempts from the foul line, and Cash has the seventh-most tries in the LSC.

The Mustangs are second in the league with 41.3 rebounds per game, which is 38th in the nation, and they are grabbing 15.5 offensive rebounds per game, which is second in the conference and 22nd among NCAA Division II programs.

Carisa Cortez and Catalina Cortez have combined for 3.6 assists per game, and the Stang Gang is scoring 58.8 points per game.

The Mustangs are the third-best team in the league with 10.9 steals per game, and they are forcing the fifth-most turnovers in the conference with 18.8 per game.

Carter leads the conference with 30 total steals and 2.5 steals per game. Calyssa Sevier has 22 steals, Emillia Steele has at least two takeaways in each of her last six games and has 17 steals this season. Cash has 19 steals and Alyssa Hutterer has 11 for the Mustangs.

Midwestern State is holding opponents to 63.5 points per game, which is the 10th-best scoring defense in the LSC. Opponents are shooting 39.6 percent from the field against the Mustangs and only 27.7 percent from beyond the arc, which is the seventh-best 3-point percentage defense in the conference.

Midwestern State leads the all-time series with Eastern New Mexico, 31-26, but the Greyhounds have won the last three meetings, including a 65-61 victory at Greyhound Arena last season. MSU is 11-17 all-time as the visitor in the series and is seeking its first win in Portales since a 79-70 victory in February of 2022.

Eastern New Mexico is 10-2 overall this season with a 5-1 conference record following a 59-53 loss to No. 20-ranked Lubbock Christian on Friday night. The Greyhounds are 6-1 at home this season.

Ishuana Hunter is the leading scorer for ENMU with 12.5 per game, while Jayla Smith is the leading rebounder with 6.2 boards per game. Jaz Salon is dishing out 3.4 assists per game for the Greyhounds, who are averaging a league-high 74.8 points per game.

Eastern New Mexico has the fourth best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 54.4 points per game. The 20.3 scoring margin is the best in the LSC.

The Greyhounds average 12.5 steals per game and 3.7 blocks per game.

Midwestern State returns home on Thursday night for the "Battle of Mustangs" as Western New Mexico visits D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.