Athletic Report
December 6, 2001

ENMU DEFEATS MIDWESTERN STATE, 74-66
Greyhounds Improve to 4-2 on the Season
PORTALES, NM — Junior guard Jonathan Cooper (Richton Park, IL/Chaffey College) scored a game-high 17 points and Eastern New Mexico University ended the game with a 12-5 run, as the Greyhounds defeated Midwestern State University, 74-66, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game, Dec. 6 at Greyhound Arena. ENMU improved its record to 4-2 on the season. Midwestern State fell to 3-3.

ENMU held a 36-27 advantage at halftime and led by 11 points early in the second half. Cooper gave the Hounds a 38-27 lead by scoring the first basket after halftime. He also scored on a layup and added a free throw with 17:29 left for a 44-33 Eastern lead. Midwestern countered with a 21-9 run that gave the Indians their only lead of the game, 54-53, with 7:39 remaining. Courtney Cole scored 10 of the 21 points, while Marquette Wilkins hit a layup to complete the run with MSU’s go-ahead basket.

The Greyhounds tied the game just 15 seconds later, when Cooper connected on the first of two free throws. ENMU then moved back in front for good, 57-54, on a 3-point basket by Rudy Charles (So., G, Las Vegas, NV/Durango H.S.) with 7:14 remaining. Eastern led 61-55 with 6:02 remaining after a jumper by Cedric Palmer (Jr., F, Houston, TX/McLennan C.C.) and a layup by Cooper.

The Indians cut the deficit to one point, 62-61, when James Massingale hit a 3-pointer with 2:59 left, but Eastern pushed its lead to four points on a basket and foul shot by Palmer at the 2:38 mark. Charles added a jump shot with 1:54 left, giving ENMU a 67-61 advantage. MSU then sliced one point from the lead with a free throw by Malcolm MacIntosh at the 1:40 mark.

The Hounds upped their lead to eight points, 70-62, when Joel Simpson (Jr., F, Detroit, MI/Kilgore College) scored on a layup and was fouled with 1:20 to play. Simpson converted the charity shot. Cooper recorded an assist on the play. Cooper scored his 17 points on 5 of 8 shooting from the field (one 3-pointer) and 6 of 7 at the line. He also provided the Greyhounds with 3 assists and 3 rebounds.

Cooper has scored at least 15 points in all six games this season, and leads the Hounds in scoring with 16.2 points per game. Charles added 14 points, including two 3-pointers for ENMU. He also earned 2 assists and 2 steals.Simpson tallied 9 points and recorded 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Palmer also scored 9 points, and grabbed 3 boards.

The Greyhounds outrebounded the Indians, 34-25, led by Garland Coleman (So., G/F, Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.), who tied for game-high honors with 8 rebounds. Coleman and McIntosh reached double figures for MSU. Coleman scored 15 points and was 6 of 7 from the floor. McIntosh contributed 13 points on 3 of 3 field goals and 7 of 9 charity shots.Wilkins earned 9 points, 6 steals, 4 assists and 4 rebounds, while James added 8 points and tied Coleman for the rebounding lead with 8 caroms.

Eastern shot 50.0% from the field (25 of 50) and connected on 80.0% of its foul shots (20 of 25). The Indians were 21 of 46 (45.7%) on field goals, including 54.2% (13 of 24) in the second half, but converted only 22 of 35 free throws (62.9%). MSU made just 12 of 21 charity shots (57.1%) in the second half.

The Greyhounds do not play again until Saturday, Dec. 15, when they take on Lubbock Christian University in a non-conference road game. Tipoff in Lubbock, Texas, is slated for 2:00 p.m. (MST). Last year, LCU also played ENMU in Lubbock and edged the Hounds, 57-54.