SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State women's basketball battled Eastern New Mexico for a full 40 minutes Thursday night, using late free throws to win 59-56 in the Stephens Arena at the Junell Center.

The Belles moved to 20-5 on the season with the win, marking their third straight season with at least 20 wins.

"Obviously you have to hand it to Eastern New Mexico, forcing us into so many turnovers and holding us to just 59 points," Angelo State head women's basketball coach Renae Shippy said. "That being said, I was really proud of the way our girls battle through and won what was a really good basketball game."

With 48 seconds remaining in the game, the two teams were tied at 56-all. Marquita Daniels led the Belles out of a timeout, dribbling down the shot clock before driving to the lane and drawing a foul. Daniels hit both of her ensuing free throws to give the Belles the points they need to win.  

The Belles overcame a strong Greyhound defense in the win without doing a lot to help themselves, as the Greyhounds forced 20 turnovers and ASU shot just 54 percent from the free throw line.

ASU was hot to open the game, going on a 7-2 run in the first two and a half minutes and opening up an early five-point lead on a jumper from Ekiya Gray.

The Greyhounds responded with a run of their own, however, tying the game back up and eventually taking an 11-10 lead with 2:54 left in the opening quarter. ENMU clung to their one-point as the horn sounded to end the first quarter.

Marquita Daniels quickly got the lead back for the Belles to start the first quarter, forcing a turnover and hitting a breakaway layup with 9:28 left in the half. The layup was the first two points of a 7-2 run. The run was capped off with back-to-back three-pointers from Daniels and Keanna Kelly, putting ASU up seven with 7:17 left in the half.

Daniels was the leading Belle scorer in the contest with 19 points, including four of seven shooting from behind the arc. Daniels also chipped in five rebounds. Kelly had nine points against the Greyhounds, all of which came on three-pointers.

Yet another three-pointer from ASU forward Dezirae Hampton kept the Belles up by seven four minutes later. The Greyhounds hit back-to-back shots a minute later to shrink the deficit to just three, but Kelly hit to three pointers in the final minute of  the half and the  Belles went into the locker room still up by seven.

Hampton was the only other ASU player to finish in double figures, scoring 11 points and pulling down seven boards.

The leading rebounder for Angelo State in the contest with 15 was De'Anira Moore, who also scored seven points.

It was ENMU's turn to start off hot in the second half, as the Greyhounds quickly closed the gap to just two points just over three minutes into the quarter. Daniels kept the Belles out in front with a three-pointer, but the Greyhounds kept pressing to eventually get a one-point lead with 5:06 left in the third quarter.

The two teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the quarter. No team got up or down by more than two points, and when the quarter ended it was the Belles still on top.

Eastern New Mexico quickly tied up the game as the final quarter began, but a free throw from De'Anira Moore and yet another three-pointer from Daniels got Angelo State up by four.

The Greyhounds hit a jumper to cut down the deficit before Madi Greenwood was called for a foul on a Greyhound three-pointer with 4:50 to play. ENMU hit two of the three ensuing free throws to retake the lead.

Greenwood had nine points in the game and distributed the ball well for a team-leading four assists.

The teams traded baskets for the next two minutes, with a jumper in the lane from Gray and a three-pointer from Hampton keeping the Belles in on top.

Daniels hit her free throws in the final minute to put ASU on top for good, and one final free throw from Greenwood gave the Belles the 59-56 win.

The Belles will be at home for one final time this season, facing Western New Mexico at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Stephens Arena at the Junell Center. ASU will honor its four seniors, Keanna Kelly, Madi Greenwood, Ekiya Gray and Marquita Daniels, prior to the game.