No silver lining for the Zias

Photo+Courtesy%3A+Tarletonsports.com

Photo Courtesy: Tarletonsports.com

John Zanella/Sports Writer

On Feb. 21, the Tarleton State University TexAnn basketball team (15-9, 8-7 in LSC) and first year head coach Misty Wilson took the court against Eastern New Mexico University with tunnel-vision after falling 63-76 to West Texas A&M University a few days earlier. The last meeting between these Lone Star Conference foes resulted in a 71-56 win for the TexAnns that included a perfect 100% from the free-throw line.

The TexAnns trailed on only two occasions Saturday – the first instance being the Zias accounting for the first points on a layup 14 seconds into the game. Tarleton’s initial points came courtesy of Bailey Wipff’s long-range bucket that marked the first of four lead changes.

As the clock wound to 10:32, the Zias failed to recapture the lead during the remainder of the contest following Meagan O’Dell’s 3-point play (24-20). ENMU nearly tied with 5:42 in the period (34-33), until Karli Moore converted her offensive rebound into a pair of points on her second attempt (36-33, 5:17 in first).

Breanna Fuller’s layup at1:06 until halftime solidified a double-digit lead (45-35) for the TexAnns, who converted 53% of shooting attempts in the opening period. After the Zias’ botched effort from deep, the TexAnns went into the locker room leading by a 45-35 margin.

Despite committing the first turnover of the second period, Ikpeaku Iwobi’s jumper made the TexAnns first to score (18:42, second). As Wilson made the half’s first substitutions (14:35), the TexAnns held a 54-41 lead.

Wipff’s steal paid dividend as she provided an assist to Moore that granted the TexAnns with their largest lead of the game of 18 points (6:09, second). The Zias failed to capitalize during almost three scoreless minutes that ended on Fuller’s layup with 3:53 left in regulation (71-55).

Eastern New Mexico managed to minimize their deficit to seven points (73-65), but it was too little, too late for the Zias who had only 00:58 seconds to perform a miracle. Ultimately the TexAnns, led by Kathy Thomas’s 17 points and Iwobi’s nine boards captured a 76-63 victory. Wilson’s squad out-rebounded the Zias 48-31 and converted 48% on their shooting attempts Saturday.

The TexAnns play McMurray University tonight at 6 p.m., and have one conference match remaining against Texas A&M University – Commerce on the road next Saturday.