Buffaloes get past Hounds

Freedom New Mexico: Mickey Winfield ENMU junior guard Jimmie Marshall drives past a West Texas A&M defender during the first half of Saturday night’s game at Greyhound Arena.

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University’s men hung with West Texas A&M for most of a half Saturday night.

In the end, the Buffaloes’ 3-point shooting was the major difference as WT pulled away to a 73-52 Lone Star Conference South Division men’s victory at Greyhound Arena.

Junior guard Nick Burns went 5-for-7 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points as the Buffs (15-7, 5-2 South) beat ENMU for the second time in four nights. Sophomore guard Justin Johnson added 13 points with team highs of six rebounds and four assists, while senior guard Kyle Shields added 12 points.

ENMU (4-18, 0-7), which dropped its 10th game in a row, got 11 points from junior forward Dannon Wafer and 10 points and three assists from junior guard Jimmie Marshall.

The teams exchanged the lead several times during the first half. ENMU went on a 6-0 run for a 13-10 lead, but the Buffs scored the next eight points.

The Hounds had several more leads the rest of the half, the last at 29-28 on a free throw by junior guard Aaron King with 4:37 to go. WT then got a go-ahead 3-pointer from senior guard Clint McFall at the four-minute mark, starting a 10-0 run capped by a Burns 3-pointer.

WT led 38-33 at the half. The Buffs then started the second half with a 10-0 run for a 15-point lead at the 17:28 mark.

ENMU got within 50-42 on a layup by Matt Churchman, but Burns’ 3-pointer at the 12:48 mark put the margin back into double figures for good.