ALLEN, Texas – The Angelo State women's basketball team held Eastern New Mexico to just 29.1-percent shooting to advance to the LSC Tournament Championship semifinals with a 71-61 victory on Thursday at the Allen Events Center in Allen, Texas.

The Belles (20-7) turned the defense on in the second half holding the Greyhounds (10-17) to just 20.5-percent shooting. After hitting seven first half 3-pointers, Angelo State held ENMU to just three in the second half. ASU hit 36.5-percent form the field and 47.1-percent from the 3-point line. Angelo State went 17-for-22 from the free throw line compared to just 4-for-7 for ENMU. It is the 10th time in school history ASU has won at least 20 games in a single season. Angelo State head coach Kevin Baker has now tied Sally Walling Brooks for the second most wins in the first year at the helm with 20. 

"I was impressed again with our team's resiliency," Baker said. "I thought Eastern New Mexico played so well. They were very well prepared and executed. We needed halftime to regroup. We were able to step up in the second half and extend the lead down the stretch."

Taylor Dorsey led all scorers with 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Diamlaises Rivera came off the bench to score 15 points and record a team high nine rebounds. Brea Mitchell added 13 points as well. 

The Belles jumped out to a 12-3 lead in the first quarter capped off with a Kiahna Thompson 3-pointer. ENMU would keep it close trimming a 19-10 advantage down to 19-15 with 1:28 to go in the first quarter. ASU would out score ENMU 7-3 including a 3-pointer by Mitchell as the quarter ended to take a 26-18 lead into the second quarter.

The Greyhounds opened the second quarter on a 13-0 run through the first 4:59 of the quarter. ASU missed six shots and it wasn't until Lexi Murphy's 3-pointer at the 5:01 did the Belles answer. The two teams would go scoreless until 59 seconds were left in the half. Dorsey took a pass from Thompson and drained a 3-pointer to put ASU on top 32-31. ENMU would take a two point lead until Rivera scored a bucket in the paint to tie the game at 34. The Greyhounds Sarah Stinnett would hit a jumper as time expired to give ENMU a 34-32 lead at the break.

ENMU came out of halftime and built a 39-34 advantage. Christina Robinson hit a jumper followed by four straight points from Mitchell to regain the lead for ASU at 40-39. Tied at 46 at the 4:33 mark, a free throw by Murphy sparked a 10-0 run to put Angelo State on top 56-46 at the end of the third.

The Belles would extend their lead to its largest margin with an old fashioned three point play. Dorsey used her speed to hit a layup and was fouled. The junior hit the free throw to make it 61-46. ENMU cut the lead to nine at 62-53 but ASU pushed its lead back to 15 as Rivera capped off a 6-0 run with a bucket in the paint to go up 68-53 with only 1:51 to go. Thompson capped off the scoring with her second 3-pointer of the night to make the final 71-60.

Mikaehla Connor led ENMU with 16 points and Stinnett added 13 points.

The Belles advance to the LSC Tournament semifinal for the first time since 2012 and will face the winner of Cameron and Texas Woman's on Friday, March 4 at 12 p.m.