Box Score

Season Stats

PORTALES, N.M. – The No. 12 West Texas A&M Lady Buffs pulled out a hard-fought, 64-58 win at Eastern New Mexico Saturday evening to win their third consecutive Lone Star Conference regular season title.  With the win, WT improved to 24-3 on the year and 13-3 in Lone Star Conference play, while ENMU finished the regular season at 10-16 and 5-11 in league play.
 
WT now will be the No. 1-seed in the upcoming Lone Star Conference women's basketball championship Mar. 2-5 at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.  The Lady Buffs will play No. 8-seed Midwestern State at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2. 
 
Discounted adult general admission tickets are on sale through March 1 at the WT Ticket Office or by calling 806-651-1414.  The discounted rate is $45 for all seven sessions.  After Mar. 1, the rate jumps to $60.  Get your tickets now for both the Lady Buffs and Buffs at the LSC Championships at the WT Ticket Office. 
 
WT improved to 65-10 all-time against ENMU and 26-9 in Portales, while extending its winning streak to eight-straight overall and the last four-straight in Portales.
 
Despite shooting a season-low 35.7 percent from the field on 20 of 56, the Lady Buffs were able to weather the storm of the upset-minded Greyhounds for the win.  WT was 6 of 17 from beyond the arc (35.3) and struggled from the line going 18 of 29 (62.1).  WT out-rebounded the Greyhounds 40-27 and held an 18-6 lead in points off turnovers as WT forced ENMU into 19 miscues, while committing just 11 tying the fewest of the season (University of the Southwest, 1/2/16). 
 
Junior Maddison Wild tallied her third double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds on 6 of 12 from the field and 5 of 7 from the line leading four Lady Buffs in double figures.  Senior Michaela Neuhaus and junior Alie Decker each added 16 points and junior Sasha Watson added 11. 
 
ENMU shot 42.9 percent for the game on 21 of 49.  The Greyhounds opened shooting 52.4 percent in the first half, but cooled off in the second going 10 of 28 for 35.7 percent.  ENMU was 8 of 19 from beyond the arc and 8 of 14 from the line.  Sarah Stinnett had a game-high 22 points on 7 of 19 and she buried four of 11 triples, while going 4 of 6 from the line with a team-high eight rebounds as the only player in double figures. 
 
In a back-and-forth affair throughout the first half, neither team could garner much of an advantage in the first period as both teams led by as many as four as the teams were tied at 15 through the first period.  ENMU opened 6 of 10, while WT was 5 of 14. 
 
WT built a five point advantage midway through the second quarter, but the Greyhounds came back and led by four moments later on a 7-0 run, but WT answered for a 29-26 lead at intermission. 
 
For the half, WT shot just 34.5 percent on 10 of 29.  The Lady Buffs struggled from outside, going just 2 of 10 and were 7 of 10 from the line.  Neuhaus led the way with eight points on 3 of 6 from the field with a triple.  ENMU cooled off to 52.4 percent on 11 of 21 and buried three triples, while going 1 of 2 from the line.  Stinnett led the way with eight points, while Kassandra Harris had seven off the bench.
 
In the second half, both teams struggled out of the gate, but Jordyn Cooper buried a triple to tie the game at 29 with 8:30 left in the third and then Cooper buried another triple for a 32-29 ENMU lead with 7:54 left marking the sixth lead change of the game. 
 
A triple from Decker put WT in front 33-32 with 4:19 left in the third period as both teams went cold through much of the quarter.  ENMU was 0 of its last four and WT was one of its last five.  A bucket from Stinnett and 1 of 2 free throws from sophomore Madison Parker tied the game at 34 and WT regained the lead on a leaner from sophomore Hannah Alexander as the shot clock was winding down for a 36-34 lead with 2:30 left in the period. 
 
Two free throws by Stinnett tied the game at 36 with 1:48 left in the third as the cold shooting continued for both teams combining to make just 3 of the last 15 field goals. 
 
ENMU regained the lead with a layup, but Decker buried a triple and ENMU answered with one for a 41-39 Greyhound lead at the end of three quarters. 
 
Neuhaus buried her second triple of the game as WT regained the lead at 42-41 with nine minutes left for the 11^th lead change of the game.  One of two free throws for Mikaehla Connor tied the game at 42 with 8:30 left. 
 
Decker missed a triple, but Watson was there for the rebound, bucket and foul for a 45-42 lead with 8:16 left.  Neuhaus hit her third from range for a 50-46 lead with 6:42 left.  Wild buried a jumper off an assist from Neuhaus for a 52-46 lead with 6:05 left.  It was the largest lead for WT to that point in the game and a timeout by ENMU.  It was Wild's team-leading 15^th point of the game as she was 6 of 12 from the field with nine rebounds. 
 
Out of the timeout, Decker buried a trey for an 8-0 run and a 55-46 lead with 5:14 left.  It was Decker's 13^th point and third long ball.  During the run WT made five of its last seven, while ENMU was held scoreless for the past 3:08 and missed its last five shots. 
 
Wild made two free throws to push the lead to 57-46 with 4:04 left, Stinnett answered with a bucket at the other end.  She then added a triple for a 57-51 WT lead with 3:12 remaining.  Following a missed triple, Neuhaus came down with a big rebound with 2:11 left. 
 
Following a foul by WT, Jasmine Hotchkins pulled the Greyhounds within 57-53 with 2:05 left.  A turnover on WT, the 11^th of the game by WT, gave ENMU the ball back, but a possession arrow tie up gave WT the ball back with 1:20 left. 
 
Out of a timeout by the Lady Buffs with 70 seconds left, Watson was fouled with 57.2 seconds left.  She made both for a 59-53 lead and a timeout by ENMU with 54 seconds left.  Watson's two free throws gave her 11 points and the fourth Lady Buff in double figures.
 
A steal by Neuhaus and a foul on ENMU put Decker at the line for two as she made one of two for a seven point lead at 60-53 with 44.8 remaining.  A missed triple by Stinnett followed, but a technical foul on the Lady Buffs put Stinnett at the line as she made one of two for a 60-54 score.  Watson was fouled and made both free throws for a 62-54 score.   Stinnett hit a triple for her 21^st point for a 62-57 score with 19.1 seconds left.