Balanced Hounds batter Panhandle State
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GOODWELL, Okla. — Eastern New Mexico University put together a 21-0 run and received double-figure scoring from six players on Thursday to rout undermanned Oklahoma Panhandle State 97-71 in men’s college basketball.
The Greyhounds (6-3) won their fourth in a row — all on the road, breaking away from a 28-28 tie with their surge. The run ended when Jamal Washington and Brent Cooper scored the first two baskets of the second half.
Junior Travazz Buckley led the balanced Hounds with 14 points, 11 in the second half. Washington, Garland Coleman and Kennis Green each scored 13 points as six Hounds reached double digits.
“We did some things better, but not over the course of the whole game,” ENMU men’s coach Shawn Scanlan said. “It was a game where we should’ve played better earlier than we did. We’re still just playing good in spurts.”
The Aggies (0-7) dressed only six players, and played shorthanded over the final five minutes due to foul trouble. OPSU finished with just three players on the court.
Senior post Andrew Harlie scored 21 points for the Aggies. Junior Ramon McDaniel added 19, senior Kenneth Barrett 16 and junior Jecorey Liggins 11.
The game was competitive early. The Aggies erased a 4-0 deficit and opened a 17-12 lead on a 3-pointer by Barrett with just over six minutes gone.
The Hounds scored the next eight points and never trailed again, but OPSU tied the scored three times before Coleman’s fastbreak layup started the game-breaking run.
Eastern led 60-33 with 16:45 to go after two free throws by Washington. The Aggies mounted a steady comeback and got as close as 76-66 with about 5 1/2 minutes left on a layup by Liggins.
“They made a nice run, and we left the door ajar,” Scanlan said. “We had some empty possessions where we took some poor shots. We had some turnovers against a zone that we shouldn’t have had.
“They’ve got enough good players that they jumped on the opportunity (to make a run). We were a little inept at that time.”
Green’s 3-pointer stopped the momentum for Panhandle. Harlie then fouled out with five minutes left — Barrett was disqualified at the 6:09 mark — and Cooper knocked down two free throws for a 15-point lead.
Freshman Shane Slover fouled out with 4:40 to go. The Hounds outscored the Aggies 14-5 the rest of the way.
