Athletic Report
December 7, 1998

GREYHOUND BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL (5-4 Overall)
The ENMU men’s basketball team went 2-1 last week. The Greyhounds defeated intra-state rival New Mexico Highlands for the second time this season, 89-68, and also downed East Central University, 59-55. ENMU lost to SE Oklahoma after battling within a single point in the closing minutes.

Eastern ended the week at 5-4 overall. Junior guard Matt Vail (Grants, NM/Grants H.S.) remained ENMU’s leading scorer with 15.7 points per game.

GREYHOUNDS ROUT N.M. HIGHLANDS
Eastern New Mexico earned a sweep of its season series with New Mexico Highlands by routing the Cowboys, 89-68, Dec. 1 at Greyhound Arena. The win improved ENMU to 4-3 on the season, while NMHU fell to 2-3. Eastern also defeated Highlands, 88-79, Nov. 25 in Las Vegas, N.M.

During the game in Portales, the Greyhounds built a 37-22 lead with 1:22 remaining in the first half. Highlands scored the final four points of the half, but still trailed, 37-26, at the break.

Eastern scored the first four points of the second half to regain a 15-point lead. The Cowboys cut the deficit to 9 points, 51-42, with 11:38 left, but ENMU gradually pulled away. Eastern’s lead hit 21 points on a dunk by junior forward Val Petteway (6’6”, Galveston, TX/Lee College) with 4:53 remaining.

The Greyhounds finished with five players in double figures, matching a feat accomplished against NMHU in the first meeting. Senior center Byrone Williams (6’6”, Chicago, IL/Alaska-Anchorage) led the way with 16 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Junior guard Matt Vail added 14 points, 5 assists, 2 blocked shots and 1 steal. Sophomore guard Brandon Ridenour (6’3”, Lovington, NM/New Mexico J.C.) scored 13 points and did not miss a shot. He was 4 of 4 on field goals (3 of 3 three-pointers) and 2 of 2 at the line.

Petteway and senior center Craig Ferris (6’6”, Ethete, WY/Casper College) each scored 10 points for the Greyhounds, with Ferris also contributing 7 rebounds. Senior forward Deron Rippey (6’4”, Brooklyn, NY/East Carolina Univ.) led all players with 8 rebounds. He also scored 7 points.

Highlands was led by junior guard DeWayne Carpenter, who provided a game-high 20 points. Junior forward P.J. Wilkins earned 11 points and 5 rebounds.

The Greyhounds achieved a 44-31 lead on the boards. Eastern also shot 55.4% for the game (36 of 65) and limited NMHU to 38.2% (26 of 68).

EASTERN FALLS TO SE OKLAHOMA, 66-57
The Greyhounds came back from an 11-point first half deficit and a 12-point deficit in the second half, but Southeastern Oklahoma State pulled away in the closing minutes for a 66-57 victory over ENMU, Dec. 3 at Greyhound Arena. SOSU upped its record to 5-2, while Eastern fell to 4-4.

ENMU trailed 28-16 in the first half, but finished the period with a 13-2 run, and trailed by just one point, 30-29, at halftime. Eastern tied the game at 31-31 early in the second half, but SOSU moved out to a 48-37 lead with 10:43 remaining.

The Greyhounds, led by 7 second-half points from senior forward Deron Rippey rallied to within a single point, 52-51, with 4:06 remaining. The Greyhounds also trailed by one point, 54-53, when junior guard Matt Vail scored from the left side with 3:42 remaining.

Southeastern Oklahoma scored the next four points, on consecutive baskets by Rope Perry. Eastern got back within four points, 59-55, on a layup by Rippey at the 2:53 mark, but the Savages reeled off six unanswered points for a 65-55 lead and control of the game.

SOSU’s top scorer was Perry, with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Kristian Pipkins supplied the Savages with 13 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Reno Holt also scored 13 points and had 5 assists.

Eastern was led in scoring by Vail, who finishes the game with 14 points. Rippey added 13 points and was 4 of 5 from the floor. Senior center Craig Ferris had 8 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.

GREYHOUNDS EDGE EAST CENTRAL, 59-55
Eastern New Mexico University defeated visiting East Central (Okla.), 59-55, at Greyhound Arena, Dec. 5, to improve to 5-4 on the season. Senior forward Deron Rippey scored on a layup with 7 seconds remaining to clinch the win. East Central fell to 1-5.

The game was tied, 53-53, with 3:45 remaining, but ENMU moved in front for good with 3:12 left, as Rippey scored on a layup. The Greyhounds increased their lead to 57-53 at the 2:52 mark, when Matt Vail hit two free throws.

Neither team scored for more than two minutes. ECU’s Roland Miller ended the scoreless streak with a pair of free throws with 27 seconds left.

Rippey attempted to dunk the ball for ENMU with 17 seconds left, but he was fouled by Miller. The foul was ruled intentional, and although Rippey missed both foul shots, the Greyhounds kept possession. Vail controlled the ball near mid-court until passing to Rippey, who scored the clinching layup.

Rippey scored 12 points — 10 in the second half — to lead three ENMU players in double figures. Vail added 11 points, with senior center Craig Ferris also scoring 11 points. Ferris led the team with 11 rebounds. ENMU held a 42-31 rebounding margin.

For ECU, DeMarcus Bolton scored 23 points on 11 of 16 shooting. He also recorded 10 rebounds. Miller scored 16 points for the Tigers.

ENMU scored the first 9 points of the game, and led throughout the first half. The Greyhounds owned a 37-29 advantage at halftime.

UP NEXT FOR THE GREYHOUNDS
ENMU travels to Oklahoma Panhandle State on Sat., Dec. 12 for the Greyhounds’ final game before the Holiday Break. Tipoff in Goodwell, Okla. is set for 7:00 p.m. (MST).The Greyhounds are then idle until Thurs., Jan. 7, when they host Abilene Christian in the LSC South Division opener for both teams. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Greyhound Arena.

ZIA BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (5-2 Overall)
ENMU was 2-1 last week. The Zias defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State and East Central (Okla.), but fell to SE Oklahoma by five points. Junior post Amanda Mendex (5’11”, San Antonio, TX/Madison H.S.) is ENMU’s leading scorer for the season, with 15.1 points per game.

ZIAS ROUT PANHANDLE STATE
The Eastern New Mexico Zias upped their record to 4-1 with a 77-48 rout of Oklahoma Panhandle State on Dec. 1. The Zias led 34-16 at the half and were never threatened over the final 20 minutes OPSU fell to 3-5 on the season.

After ENMU started with a 6-0 lead, the Lady Aggies rallied to tie the game, 12-12, with 10:44 left in the opening period. Eastern scored the next 12 points for a 24-12 lead — part of a 22-4 run to end the first half.

Sophomore post player Bobbie Wallin (6’1”, Moriarty, NM/Moriarty H.S.) had an outstanding game to lead the Zias. She was 9 for 9 from the field, sank 5 of 6 free throws, and finished with a career- high 23 points. Wallin also grabbed 9 rebounds, had 1 assist and 2 steals.

Wallin was joined in double figures by junior post Jenny Conaway (6’0”, Midland, TX/South Plains College), junior post Amanda Mendez (5’11”, San Antonio, TX/Madison H.S.), and junior Sharon Max (6’0”, G/F, Kirtland, NM/ Central H.S.). Conaway scored 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting, and tied for the rebounding lead with 9 boards. Mendez scored 12 points and Max added 10.

Panhandle State was led by Chanda Trammell, with 14 points, and by Holly Forrester with 11 points. Forrester also recorded 6 rebounds for the Lady Aggies.

SE OKLAHOMA DOWNS ZIAS BY FIVE, 66-61
Eastern New Mexico rallied from a 9-point second half deficit, but visiting Southeastern Oklahoma scored the final 8 points of the game to take a 66-61 win over the Zias at Greyhound Arena, Dec. 3. The win improved SE Oklahoma to 3-1, while ENMU fell to 4-2.

The Zias trailed 42-33 with 16:06 remaining after Wendy Kennedy hit a 3-pointer for the Lady Savages. ENMU rallied to tie the game, 49-49, and held a 61-58 lead with 2:17 left. SOSU moved in front with 1:37 to go, when Shasti Pendley sank another 3-pointer. The Lady Savages added 3 free throws in the final minute.

SE Oklahoma finished the game 9 of 15 on three-pointers, including 7 of 9 in the first half. The Lady Savages shot 61.9% in the first half, but held just a 6-point lead, 37-31, at the intermission.

In the second half, ENMU held SOSU to just 28.0% from the field (7 of 25). The visitors gained an edge at the free throw line in the second half, sinking 13 of 15 while ENMU was 4 of 8.

SOSU was led by Dana Sutton and Kennedy, each with 16 points. Charity Zike added 13 points, and Sadiaa Jones scored 12. Zike had a team-high 8 boards. for the Lady Savages.

Junior post Amanda Mendez (San Antonio, TX/Madison H.S.) topped Eastern with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Guard/forward Sharon Max (Jr., 6’0”, Kirtland, NM/Central H.S.) contributed 11 points. Senior guard/forward Bria Norris (Amarillo, TX/Amarillo H.S.) and sophomore guard/forward Brandi Bates each scored 8 points.

ZIAS GIVE ECU ITS FIRST LOSS
Eastern New Mexico outscored East Central (Okla.) 19-5 over the final 5:43, as the Zias rallied from a second half deficit to defeat the Tigers, 65-52, Dec. 5 at Greyhound Arena. The win improved ENMU to 5-2 on the season, while ECU lost for the first time and fell to 4-1.

It was Eastern’s second win over a previously undefeated team this season. The Zias defeated Alaska-Anchorage, 73-68, in the championship game of the Regis University Roundball Classic, Nov. 28 in Denver, Colorado to end the Nanook’s season-opening 6-game winning streak.

In Saturday’s game against ECU, the Zias trailed by seven points, 43-36, with 13:35 remaining. Eastern achieved an 8-0 run for a 44-43 lead, but trailed by a single point, 47-46, with 5:55 left. The Zias took the lead for good at the 5:43 mark on a pair of free throws by senior guard/forward Bria Norris.

The Zias led 53-50 with 3:27 left, then scored seven unanswered points for a 60-50 advantage with 1:18 remaining. The run included 5 of 7 shooting at the line and a field goal by sophomore post player Katheryne Hickman (San Antonio, TX/Castle Hills 1st Baptist).

Eastern’s solid finish to the game occurred with the Zias’ leading scorer, junior post Amanda Mendez on the bench with 5 fouls. Mendez, who fouled out with 7:42 remaining, scored 17 points (8 of 13 FGs). She entered the game averaging 14.8 points per contest.

Other players in double figures for the Zias were junior guard/forward Sharon Max , with 15 points and 5 boards, and Hickman, with 10 points and 6 rebounds. Norris added 9 points, and senior point guard Julie Smith (Albuquerque, NM/Eldorado H.S.) had 5 assists.

The East Central Tigers were led by senior forward Teresa Jones-Benson, who scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Jones-Benson entered the game averaging 26.5 points per game. She was the only, ECU player in double figures, but Rachelle Sturdevant added 9 points, and Heather McCutcheon provided 9 points and 8 rebounds.

UP NEXT FOR THE ZIAS
Eastern has two more games before the Holiday Break. The Zias play at St. Mary’s (Texas) on Sun., Dec. 13 at 1:00 p.m. (MST), then remain in San Antonio for a game against Incarnate Word on Mon., Dec. 14 at 2:00 p.m. (MST). The Zias host LSC South rival West Texas on Jan. 2 at 7:00 p.m. (MST).

MENDEZ NAMED LSC PLAYER-0F-WEEK TWO WEEKS IN A ROW
ENMU junior post player Amanda Mendez (5’11”, San Antonio, TX/Madison H.S.) has been named Lone Star Conference South Division Player-of-the-Week for the second consecutive week in women’s basketball. She received the honor for her efforts as Eastern won the Regis University Roundball Classic, Nov. 27-28 in Denver, Colo.

Mendez was named MVP of the Roundball Classic after leading ENMU to an 86-64 win over Western State in the first round and a 73-68 triumph over previously undefeated Alaska-Fairbanks in the championship game. She scored 33 points (16.5 per game), while shooting 65.0% from the field (13 of 20). She also made 7 of 8 free throws (87.5%) and grabbed 3.5 rebounds per game.

Mendez scored 18 points against Western State. She added 15 points in the title game, as ENMU overcame a 40-32 halftime deficit to claim the tournament title. ENMU improved to 3-1 and Alaska-Anchorage fell to 6-1.

ZIA TENNIS
WOMEN’S TENNIS (NATIONAL RANKING)
The ENMU women’s tennis team, under the guidance of Head Coach Christine Blaeser, is ranked 21st in the nation in NCAA Division II in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings compiled at the end of the fall season. ENMU is also ranked 6th in the Midwest Region. Individually, ENMU freshman Layla Turner (Casa Grande, AZ/Union H.S.) is ranked 53rd in singles (13th in the Region).

Eastern had a successful fall season, which included a 5-4 win over Cameron University. Cameron was ranked 16th in Division II last spring.