Hounds beat WT in overtime

Freedom correspondent: Karl Terry Hound senior Equs Darby goes up for a layup over the defense of West Texas A&M University junior Joe Mincey.

Freedom New Mexico

PORTALES — Jimmie Marshall scored the last four points of overtime and Eastern New Mexico University beat West Texas A&M 61-58 Wednesday in a Lone Star Conference South men’s game at Greyhound Arena.

Reggie Nelson scored 19 points and Tyler Jefferson added 18 points, including a layup that sent the game into overtime, as ENMU (8-12, 3-3 LSC South) ended a 10-game losing streak to the Buffs.

The win gave the Greyhounds sole possession of fourth place in the LSC South Division.

The teams will square of again at 5 p.m. (MST) Saturday in Canyon

LaDarius Hall led the Buffaloes (11-10, 2-4) with 13 points.

The Hounds’ last win over WT was a 77-72 overtime decision in Canyon Feb. 9, 2004.

The Hounds rallied from nine points down in the second half to end a three-game LSC South skid.

“I don’t we played offensively for most of the game,” Greyhounds coach Andrew Helton said. “We were able to get pressure to the inside to make things happen and we got a couple of stops on defense. It was a huge win for us.”

West Texas coach Rick Cooper gave ENMU credit for hanging being tough.

“It was a hard-fought game that came down to overtime,” Cooper said. “We really didn’t pressure well. We would like to try to got out and pressure and deny, but we struggle with that as a basketball team at times.”

With West Texas A&M up 52-44 with 6:12 left in regulation, Nelson scored four points to ignite an 8-0 ENMU run to knot the score at 52-all with 2:53 left on the clock.

After an Alex Davis layup gave WT a 58-56 lead with eight seconds left, Marshall found Jefferson for a layup with two seconds left to end the game into overtime.

ENMU held a decisive edge at the free-throw line, converting a season-high 84 percent of their 25 shots.