Southwestern knocks off Hounds

WEATHERFORD, Okla. — Senior forward Nate Perry and junior guard Clarke Hale combined for 41 points Thursday night to lead Southwestern Oklahoma past Eastern New Mexico University 86-69 in a Lone Star Conference men’s crossover game.

Perry, the reigning LSC North player of the week, scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Clarke added 20 points for the Bulldogs (12-2), who improved to 8-0 on their home floor and led all the way after the early minutes.

ENMU senior guard Justin Redman-Trotter poured in a career-high 33 points, hitting 6-of-10 on 3-pointers and going 9-of-12 fom the line. Guards Marquis Ruffin and Jamaal McCoy added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

The teams combined for seven technicals — four on Eastern and three on Southwestern — in a seven-plus minute stretch of the second half.

The Hounds led several tiimes in the first four minutes, but a 3-pointer by Hale put the Bulldogs in front for good 11-9.

ENMU stayed close for much of the half, trailing 27-22 after a basket by Redman-Trotter with six minutes to go in the half. Kendall Smith’s 3-pointer in the final minute gave Southwestern a 39-29 halftime lead and the Hounds were unable to get any closer after that.

The Bulldogs opened the second half with an 11-2 run capped by two free throws by junior center Brandon Nichols with 14 1/2 minutes left to extend the lead to 19. ENMU got two bench technicals in a span of less than a minute with under 13 minutes left, and Smith converted three of the four free throws to make it 58-37.

Southwestern’s biggest lead was 71-46 with seven minutes left. ENMU played the final 1:57 with only four players after two players fouled out and McCoy, Chad Johnson and coach Shawn Scanlan were ejected from the game.