Hounds win on buzzer-beater

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Junior guard Justin Redman-Trotter scored the game’s final five points, including a 3-pointer from the corner with 1.4 seconds left on a feed from Tristan Largent, and then stole the ball on the inbounds to seal Eastern New Mexico University’s 68-65 Lone Star Conference South Division men’s victory over Angelo State Saturday night.

With the win, the Greyhounds (11-13, 5-5 South) held fourth place in the division over Texas A&M-Kingsville (17-8, 4-6), which upset division co-leader Midwestern State 82-79 on Saturday. Angelo State (8-16, 3-7) fell two games out of the race for the South’s final spot in the upcoming LSC tournament.

“It was a solid team win,” ENMU coach Shawn Scanlan said. “A lot of guys contributed tonight.”

Senior forward Mikal Monette scored 16 points and added 10 rebounds for the Hounds while senior guard Tristan Largent, back after missing two games with a knee infection, played 25 minutes off the bench and scored 12 points. Redman-Trotter’s late flurry gave him 10 points.

The Rams got double-doubles from 6-foot-9 junior center Marcus Hubbard (18 points, 10 rebounds) and junior guard-forward Quinn Barfield (14 points, 11 rebounds).

Eastern scored the game’s first eight points, holding the Rams without a field goal for more than five minutes. Although they never led by more than nine, the Hounds did not relinquish the lead until drove for a layup to make it 62-61 with 2:51 left and cap a 7-0 Rams run.

Monette’s tip-in put the Hounds back in front, but Hubbard answered with a 3-pointer with 1:09 to go to give Angelo a two-point lead. Redman-Trotter was then fouled on a 3-point shot and made the second and third attempts after missing the first.

On the Rams’ next trip, Hubbard’s 3-pointer was off the mark and Redman-Trotter grabbed the rebound with 15 seconds left.

“We were going to take what we could get right there,” Scanlan said. “They had been playing a zone against us, but coming out of the timeout they manned us. Tristan was able to get in the gap and kick it to Justin.”

Scanlan said he tried to limit Largent’s playing time coming off the injury.

“I’m not sure I wanted to play him that much,” he said, “but we needed some guys out there who could hit shots.”