ENMU men hope to finish strong in LSC

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After an 0-2 start in the Lone Star Conference, Eastern New Mexico University’s men are positioned for a good seed in next month’s Lone Star Conference tournament at Allen, Texas.

ENMU has won seven of its last nine, including a non-league win, and now stands 13-9 overall and 6-4 in the eight-team LSC, tied for third place with Angelo State.

The Greyhounds’ finishing schedule, though, isn’t easy, beginning with today’s 6 p.m. clash against second-place Midwestern State (16-6, 8-2) at Greyhound Arena. They visit Texas A&M-Commerce (14-8, 3-7) on Wednesday, then host league-leading Tarleton State (20-1, 9-1) and rival West Texas A&M (10-12, 2-8) to wrap it up.

Wednesday, the Hounds avenged their only home loss, a 59-58 decision against Cameron, with a solid 72-61 victory over the Aggies in Lawton, Okla.

“We’ve played a stretch of games pretty good, really since Christmas, with the exception of the Cameron game at home,” Hounds coach Andrew Helton said. “But I don’t think we’ve played 40 minutes great yet.”

One of the reasons for the upswing has been the play of 6-foot-8 senior forward Phil Henry, who on Wednesday had 16 points and eight rebounds while tying the school single-season record for blocked shots with his 35th.

Helton said Henry has been able to take advantage of the fact that most teams gear up to stop ENMU’s potent backcourt.

“Phil Henry has played three or four games for us now where he’s looked like an all-league post,” Helton said.

The Hounds should finish in the top four, with Commerce, Cameron and Kingsville all three games behind them. Right now, Angelo has the tie-breaker for third by virtue of a home win over Midwestern.

“They’re playing the best they’ve played all year,” Helton said of the Mustangs. “There’s not a bad team in the league. You’re not going to beat anybody by just showing up.”

Meantime, ENMU’s women (6-14, 4-7) have lost six in a row and fallen from second place to sixth in the nine-team LSC after a surprising 4-1 start. The Zias are a half-game ahead of Kingsville (9-13, 4-8) and 1 1/2 up on Cameron and Commerce.

Only the last-place team won’t make the tournament.

First-year coach Joshua Prock is hoping his relatively young squad — with six games left, including a home non-league makeup against Western New Mexico on Feb. 27 — can find the right combinations to turn it around.

“I still believe in these kids,” Prock said. “None of us are quitters, and we’re not going to throw in the towel.

“We still have a lot to play for. It’s a situation we’ve put ourselves in, and we just have to figure a way to overcome it.”

They have their work cut out today against a veteran MSU squad, which beat ENMU 75-44 in the earlier meeting at Wichita Falls, Texas.

“They’ve a very talented team, and well-coached,” Prock said. “It’s going to take a great effort on our part.”

Men

Midwestern State (16-6, 8-2 Lone Star Conference) at ENMU (13-9, 6-4)

• When: 6 p.m. today at Greyhound Arena

• Radio: KSEL-FM 105.9.

• Last time out: The Greyhounds downed Cameron 72-61 at Lawton, Okla., while the Mustangs won at home over West Texas A&M 74-63, both on Wednesday.

• Last meeting: MSU laid a 66-41 whipping on the Greyhounds on Jan. 11 at Wichita Falls, Texas.

• Of note: ENMU is 6-1 at home while the Mustangs are 5-2 in true road games. … Midwestern, which limited the Hounds to 19 percent FG shooting in the earlier meeting, leads the all-time series 25-15, including four in a row and 13 of the last 14. MSU is 10-9 at Greyhound Arena. … The Mustangs have had three two-game losing streaks this season. Currently, they’ve won five in a row, including a 77-75 overtime win at LSC-leading, previously unbeaten and then-No. 2 Tarleton State on Feb. 5 that avenged a two-point home loss to the Texans in January. … Leaders for the Mustangs are 6-foot senior G Monzaigo Williams (16.9 ppg, 43 percent 3-point FGs, 99 assists, 41 steals), 5-10 senior G DeJuan Plummer (10.6 ppg) and 6-4 junior G/F Xavier Blackburn (10.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 17 blocks). Plummer has started only one game.

Women

Midwestern State (14-9, 6-6 Lone Star Conference) at ENMU (6-14, 4-7)

• When: 4 p.m. today at Greyhound Arena

• Radio: KSEL-FM 105.9.

• Last time out: ENMU lost at Cameron 76-63 while MSU took No. 5 LSC leader West Texas A&M to overtime at home before falling 87-77, both on Wednesday.

• Last meeting: The Mustangs handed the Zias a 75-44 setback on Jan. 11 at Wichita Falls.

• Of note: The Mustangs were the LSC regular-season co-champion and tournament champion last season, and advanced to the South Central Regional final where they lost to fourth-ranked Colorado Mesa 69-65. … Three of Midwestern’s losses this season have been in overtime, the first time that’s happened since 2005-06. … Three players average in double figures for MSU, led by 5-10 junior F Andrea Carter (15.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 47 steals), 5-8 senior G Kirsti Degalia (11.7 ppg) and 5-9 junior G Dianna Jones (10.1 ppg, 108 assists, 78 percent FTs). Jones leads the LSC in assists (4.9 apg). … Midwestern played at the University of Texas in a preseason exhibition game, losing 119-75. … MSU leads the all-time series 22-17, although the Zias are 10-8 in Portales and won last year’s matchup at Greyhound Arena 80-72.

— Compiled by Dave Wagner