Hounds rout Mustangs

Eastern New Mexico University's men recently had a game where seven of nine players in uniform scored in double figures and the other two finished with six points apiece.

The Greyhounds topped that on Thursday night, returning senior guard/forward and Lone Star Conference scoring leader Jahcoree Ealy back to the mix. This time, eight of 10 players reached double digits while the other two had six each in a 125-84 rout of Western New Mexico at Greyhound Arena.

The result left ENMU (18-9, 14-7 LSC) in fourth place in the league's overall standings. The Hounds are currently seeded fourth in next week's eight-team league tourney at Frisco, Texas, but would move up to third with a win in Saturday night's at WNMU, plus a loss by Lubbock Christian (20-9, 15-6) at West Division champ and fourth-ranked West Texas A&M (26-2, 20-1).

ENMU holds the tiebreaker by sweeping the season series from the Chaps.

The Hounds were also ranked No. 6 in this week's South Central Region top 10. ENMU has posted a record of 5-6 against the other nine ranked teams.

Senior guard Greg Johnson scored 22 points and Ealy added 20 for the Hounds, who recorded the second-highest point total in program history behind only a 132-109 drubbing of New Mexico Highlands in December 1979. Five seniors played their final home game for ENMU.

"I'm very proud of the way our team played tonight," ENMU men's coach Brent Owen said. "I'm so proud of them for what they've brought to our program."

Johnson shot 9-of-14 from the floor and added four 3-pointers. Overall, the Hounds shot 58 percent from the floor, including 15-of-28 from distance, and went 20-of-24 from the foul line.

Junior guard Tre'Von Love added 17 points, six rebound and five assists off the bench, while junior forward Mario Whitley tallied 13 points, sophomore guard Junior Hodnett scored 11 and sophomore forward Jose Murillo, freshman forward Conrad Luczynski and sophomore guard Niko Bossinakis all had 10. Luczynski, had nine rebounds and Whitley and Murillo grabbed seven each while four players had at least four the team's 26 assists, led by Love and senior Lyron Bennett with five apiece.

ENMU's bench also got plenty of playing time and outscored the Mustangs' reserves 54-33.

WNMU put five men in double digits, led by junior guard Cortaviaus Seales with 17.

ENMU 51, Western New Mexico 45 (women) – Both teams struggled on offense through the first half, but the Greyhounds took control with a 16-9 run in the third quarter to ensure they will not finish last in the Lone Star West Division.

ENMU (10-17, 6-15) outscored the Mustangs 17-9 in the third period and went on a 9-0 streak to go up 30-24-. A last-second 3 by senior guard Ashley Shipley boosted the Hounds into a 33-28 advantage with eight minutes remaining.

Two baskets by junior forward Ishuana Hunter760 and a pair of 3s by freshman guard Jaz Salon extended the margin to 43-35 with less than five minutes to go.

Hunter, coming off the bench, led the team with 14 points and eight rebounds while senior forward/guard Deja Adrian, Shipley, Salon and senior guard Alecia Whyte all had eight points.

"I'm really proud of us getting the win on Senior Night," first-year ENMU women's coach Blake Huber said. "I'm really glad we could send our (five seniors) out the right way.

"It was a struggle for both teams offensively, but I'm glad we hit some big shots in the fourth quarter and strung together some stops."

Top scorers for the Mustangs (9-17, 4-17), who have dropped 17 of 20 since a 6-0 start, was senior guard Sydney Wright with 12 points.