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Bronchos keep Hounds reeling

EDMOND, Okla. — Central Oklahoma’s Aundrae Grayson hit a 3-pointer on the game’s first possession Saturday and the Bronchos never looked back in an 88-69 Lone Star Conference men’s crossover victory over Eastern New Mexico University.

Anthony Brown finished with 21 points and eight rebounds for Central Oklahoma, which improved to 5-0 at home and won its second in a row after a four-game losing streak. Four teammates scored in double figures — Jason Green with 17, Grayson with 14, Kentrel Gaddis with 13 and Sam Belt with 11.

Grayson and Gaddis each converted four of the Bronchos’ nine 3-pointers.

ENMU (4-9), which has now lost five in a row and eight of its last nine, wasted a strong offensive performance from junior post Mikal Monette, who finished with 24 points — all but two in the second half — and nine rebounds. Monette went 9-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

The Greyhounds hung close for about eight minutes before Central went on a 9-0 run to break open a one-point game. The Bronchos forced 17 ENMU turnovers in the half and took a 40-26 lead into the break.

That margin continued to grow, reaching 63-39 on a 3-point play by Gaddis with 11:53 left, before the Hounds mounted a comeback. They scored the next seven points and eventually closed to 65-56 on a 3-pointer by senior guard Jolen Montoya with 7:25 to go.

But they managed only three more field goals before freshman Jake Holladay’s 3-pointer capped the scoring with nine seconds left.

Holladay’s late 3-pointer made him the second ENMU player in double figures with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting

The Hounds shot 53 percent for the game on 25-of-47 and outrebounded the Bronchos 34-30, but they couldn’t overcome 26 turnovers. Central, which shot 46 percent, finished with 23 assists to just 13 turnovers.