Mustangs sweep ENMU

Staff report

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Senior guard Jordan Stevens scored 21 of his game-high 31 points in the first half, and sixth-ranked Midwestern State cruised to a 90-56 Lone Star Conference men’s victory over Eastern New Mexico University on Saturday night.

Stevens hit a 3-pointer on the game’s opening possession and knocked down another one in the closing seconds of the half to stake the Mustangs (12-1, 3-0 LSC) to a 39-23 halftime lead en route to their 10th consecutive win. Stevens finished the night 11-of-18 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and also contributed seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

In the opener of the doubleheader, Midwestern State’s women snapped a nine-game losing streak, scoring the game’s final seven points as the free throw line for a 61-55 victory over ENMU.

Senior guard Brandon Golden added 14 points for the MSU men, while senior guard Grant Hershell added 12 points and four assists and senior forward Kharpi Alston finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Three players combined for all but 11 of ENMU’s points as junior forward Stephon Edwards finished with 16 points, senior forward Lawrence Domingo posted his fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and sophomore guard Ladarius Stewart scored 14 points. But the Hounds (4-10, 0-2) couldn’t overcome 29 percent floor shooting, including 3-of-20 from 3-point range.

Stewart’s steal and layup tied the game 4-4 after 3 1/2 minutes, but the Mustangs held ENMU without a field goal for nearly eight minutes in building a 14-5 lead. The Hounds closed to 14-12 on Edwards’ layup at the 7:53 mark, but a 10-0 run over the next two minutes that featured a 3-point basket and a 3-point play by Stevens put the Mustangs in control.

ENMU opened the second half on an 8-1 run to get within nine, but baskets by Stevens and Hershell and a 3-point play by Alston made it 47-31 with 16 minutes left.

Women — MSU (2-12, 1-2 LSC) went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the final 2:34 after ENMU, trailing virtually all the way, had taken a pair of shortlived leads.

Both teams had 24 field goals, but the Mustangs shot 11-of-14 from the free throw line while the Greyhounds (5-8, 0-3) were 4-of-7. ENMU was also hurt by 24 turnovers, resulting in 21 Mustangs points, and its bench was outscored 24-15.

Junior post Jennifer Sisell shot 9-of-14 from the floor and finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for MSU, while sophomore guard Whitney Taylor added 11 points.

Junior post Kassandra Harris led ENMU with 14 points, sophomore guard Mikaehla Connor followed with 12 and senior guard Sarah Stinnett scored 10.

MSU scored the game’s first nine points and led 15-3 with four minutes left in the opening stanza. Three-pointers by Stinnett and junior guard Briana White capped an 8-0 burst for the Hounds to make it 15-11 at the quarter.

MSU generally maintained leads of six to 10 points until late in the third period when senior guard Jordyn Cooper’s 3 pulled ENMU to 41-37. Connor’s 3-point play made it 50-48 with just under six minutes left before Harris scored back-to-back field goals to give the Hounds their first lead at 54-52 with 3:19 left.

Sophomore post Johna McClelland’s free throw put the Hounds back in front 55-54 at the 2:46 mark, but ENMU missed four shots and turned it over three times in the remaining moments.