Hounds turn back East Central

ADA, Okla. — Senior guard Stephen Wilson scored a season-best 23 points and junior guard Justin Redman-Trotter added 16 points and 10 rebounds Thursday, helping Eastern New Mexico University rally past East Central 72-62 in a Lone Star Conference men’s crossover game.

The Greyhounds (6-8) also got 13 points from guard Tristan Largent in snapping a three-game losing streak. Senior guard Jason Thomas scored 22 points for the Tigers (8-6), but was held to 7-of-23 shooting overall and 1-of-11 from 3-point range.

Thomas came into the game as the LSC’s No. 2 scorer at 24 points a game.

“We did a good job on him,” ENMU men’s coach Shawn Scanlan said, noting that Wilson had primary responsibility on Thomas. “He’s a good player, but we made him work hard.”

Trailing 33-29 at halftime the Hounds shot 56 percent (14-of-25) the rest of the way and pulled away down the stretch, scoring the game’s final seven points after a basket by Brandon Bingle pulled the Tigers to 65-62 with about 1 1/2 minutes left.

Wilson followed with a pair of baskets to extend the margin to seven, and senior Donald Young added 3-of-4 from the line to close out the scoring.

“I thought we played real hard,” Scanlan said. “I thought we showed some toughness at times when we needed to.

“We played hard in the first half; we just weren’t efficient. I thought that for us to be (only) down four was pretty good, all things considered.”

The Tigers scored the first four points of the second half before ENMU went on a 10-0 run — two free throws, a 3-pointer and a 3-point play by Largent, and a go-ahead layup by Mikal Monette.

Neither team then led by more than three points until a basket by Young and two free throws by Wilson made it 53-48 with 9:36 to go. East Central never got closer than three points after that.

Wilson finished 9-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. He surpassed his previous high of 22, set on Saturday in an 87-78 loss to Central Oklahoma at Greyhound Arena.

Meantime, Redman-Trotter established season highs in both points and rebounds. It was only the third time this season he has scored in double figures, but the second game in a row he has done it.

“They both played roles we’d hoped they would play earlier,” Scanlan said. “It was a huge win. These guys had won seven of their last eight and we’d been on a little skid.”

ENMU held the Tigers to 37 percent field goal shooting. East Central, shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line coming in, went just 2-for-21 from long distance in this one and was credited with only two assists on 23 baskets.