Hounds nab first win of season

Freedom New Mexico

STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Eastern New Mexico University’s men still couldn’t find their shooting stroke Saturday on the second day of Tarleton State’s season-opening South Central Region Challenge.

The Greyhounds, though, did enough other things well to pick up their first win of the season, a 73-67 victory over former Lone Star Conference member Southeastern Oklahoma.

The Hounds shot just 33 percent from the field, including 8-of-32 from 3-point range. But unlike in Friday’s 77-71 loss to Pittsburg State, they did shoot well from the free-throw line (27-of-35) and managed to cut their turnovers from 22 to 10.

Senior guard Stefan Mirabal scored 16 points for the Hounds, while senior forward Aaron Edwards posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in just his third start in two seasons at ENMU. Senior point guard Reggie Nelson added 11 points and game highs with six assists and four steals.

Mirabal hit a couple of 3s early to help stake the Hounds to a 9-2 lead. ENMU led all the way except for a 54-54 tie with about 7 1/2 minutes left.

Forward Urald King led the Savage Storm (0-2) with 19 points and 14 rebounds, but he also committed six of the team’s 22 turnovers. Guard Zac Downing added 18 points, going 4-for-6 from 3-point range.

Turnovers killed the Savage Storm, which shot 48 percent from the game and hit 7-of-15 from 3-point range.

ENMU opens its home schedule 7 p.m.Tuesday against Oklahoma Panhandle State at Greyhound Arena.