Unbeaten Pitt State romps past Hounds

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Junior guard Eddie Jackson scored 26 points — all but three in the second half — to lead undefeated Pittsburg State (Kan.) to an 83-63 victory over Eastern New Mexico University on Saturday in the High Desert Classic at the McDermott Physical Education Center on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Jackson, the only player to score in double figures for the 25th-ranked Gorillas (8-0), was 0-for-4 from the field in the first half, but went 6-of-9 in the second half and sank 4-of-7 from 3-point range.

Pittsburg scored the game’s first seven points and never trailed, although ENMU got within two points three times midway through the half. But the Hounds (3-6) shot just 29 percent (8-of-28) in the opening stanza and trailed 34-22 at the break.

Pitt State, which shot only 37 percent in the opening 20 minutes, warmed up to 15-of-23 (65 percent) in the second half in keeping the Hounds at bay. The Gorillas’ lead never got below double figures in the second half.

Pitt State used a 9-0 run early in the half to build the margin to 20 points and the Gorillas cruised the rest of the way.

Eleven of the 12 Pittsburg players who saw action in the game scored.

Junior guard Reggie Wallace led ENMU with 19 points, hitting three 3-pointers and 6-of-14 overall from the field. Senior forward Jamaal Hunnicutt, who had a team-high six rebounds, and junior guard Billy Austin each finished with 10 points.

The Hounds regained the services of two injured players, senior guard Jamal Washington (staph infection) and junior forward Daniel Sherman (ankle).

Washington, seeing his first action of the season, scored six points in 19 minutes. Sherman, who had missed the previous three games, had one point while playing 13 minutes.

Junior point guard Jolen Montoya did not make the trip with the Hounds due to a family matter.

Pittsburg State 83, ENMU 63

Eastern New Mexico (3-6) — Jamaal Hunnicutt 2-5 6-6 10, Edmound Elzy 2-8 2-2 7, Reggie Wallace 6-14 4-5 19, Billy Austin 2-2 2-2 6, Jason Breland 4-10 0-2 10, Jamal Washington 3-8 0-0 6, Irshaun Pinckney 2-5 0-0 4, Daniel Sherman 0-3 1-2 1, Chad Donnell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-55 15-19 63.

Pittsburg State (8-0) — Wes Thornton 2-4 3-4 7, Greg Campbell 3-5 3-4 9, Justin White 2-6 1-4 5, Jason Taylor 3-6 1-3 8, Eddie Jackson 6-13 10-13 26, Marvis Peebles 1-3 3-3 5, Andy Wachter 2-4 0-0 5, Kiquan Sullivan 2-5 0-0 4, Ryan Odaffer 0-0 0-0 0, Tommy Vosseler 1-1 1-2 4, Zac Shepherd 4-5 1-2 9, Daniel Blair 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 26-53 24-37 83.

Halftime — Pittsburg State 34, Eastern New Mexico 22. 3-pointers — Eastern New Mexico 6-15 (Wallace 3-5, Breland 2-3, Elzy 1-3, Pinckney 0-1, Washington 0-3), Pittsburg State 7-16 (Jackson 4-8, Vosseler 1-1, Taylor 1-2, Wachter 1-3, Pebbles 0-1, Thornton 0-1). Rebounds — Eastern New Mexico 33 (Hunnicutt 7), Pittsburg State 35 (Wes Thornton 7). Assists — Eastern New Mexico 10 (Hunnicutt 3), Pittsburg State 18 (Campbell 6). Total fouls — Eastern New Mexico 26, Pittsburg State 21. Fouled out — Pinckney. Technicals — Wallace. A — 150.