Hounds protect LSC South lead

PORTALES — Junior guard Kennis Green, scoreless at halftime, lit up Midwestern State for 16 second-half points Thursday night and Eastern New Mexico University pulled away for a 77-67 Lone Star Conference South Division men’s victory over the Indians at Greyhound Arena.

Green hit back-to-back, open-court 3-pointers to extend the Hounds’ lead to 57-47 with eight minutes left in the game, ending a 15-2 run that wiped out a 3-point deficit.

ENMU (17-6, 7-1) won its sixth consecutive game and maintained its one-game division lead over Texas A&M-Kingsville, which beat Angelo State 69-56 at home.

MSU (14-8, 4-3) was led by 16 points from senior guard Marquette Wilkins, but only Lechon Trammer (11) joined him in double figures for the Indians and he didn’t get there until the final minute.

“We were spurty tonight, and we don’t really want to be a spurty team,” ENMU coach Shawn Scanlan said. “But even though we weren’t totally at our best, we found a way to finish against a good team.”

Senior Garland Coleman added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Hounds, while Jamaal Hunnicutt added 13 points and Travazz Buckley scored 11. Eastern shot 53 percent from the field and converted 26-of-33 free throws, including 20-of-25 in the second half.

ENMU 77, Midwestern State 67

Midwestern State (14-8, 4-3) — Leonard Pralour 2-3 1-1 5, Josh Drumgole 4-8 2-2 10, Marquette Wilkins 5-16 5-7 16, P.J. Randall 1-5 0-0 2, Shelton Hawkins 3-8 1-1 8, Jovani Allen 2-10 0-0 6, Tate Lombard 0-2 0-0 0, Lecon Trammer 5-7 0-0 11, Chad Rickett 1-2 2-2 4, Justin James 1-4 2-2 4, Derrick Hill 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 24-65 14-17 67.

ENMU (17-6, 7-1) — Jamaal Hunnicutt 4-8 5-6 13, Travazz Buckley 4-6 3-4 11, Irshaun Pinckney 0-3 4-4 4, Brent Cooper 3-6 0-0 6, Garland Coleman 4-4 7-8 15, David Hamilton 1-2 0-0 3, Jamal Washington 2-5 3-5 7, Kennis Green 5-8 4-4 16, Edmound Elzy 0-1 0-2 0, Chad Donnell 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-45 26-33 77.

Halftime — ENMU 35, Midwestern State 27. 3-pointers — Midwestern State 5-27 (Allen 2-7, Trammer 1-3, Hawkins 1-4, Wilkins 1-5, Drumgole 0-1, James 0-1, Lombard 0-1, Rickett 0-1, Randall 0-4), ENMU 3-11 (Green 2-3, Hamilton 1-2, Pinckney 0-1, Cooper 0-2, Washington 0-3). Rebounds — Midwestern State 27 (Drumgole 8), ENMU 42 (Coleman 10). Assists — Midwesternj State 14 (Wilkins 4), ENMU 17 (Coleman, Pinckney 4). Total fouls — Midwestern State 27, ENMU& 18. Fouled out — Hill. A — 1,600.