Athletic Report
November 23, 2001

GREYHOUNDS SCORE 16 POINTS IN OVERTIME FOR 101-91 VICTORY OVER COWBOYS
LAS VEGAS, NM — Rudy Charles (So., G, Las Vegas, NV/Durango H.S.) led all players with 30 points, and freshman guard Keenan Hooker (Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) hit a 3-point basket with 55 seconds left in overtime to break a 91-91 tie, as Eastern New Mexico University defeated New Mexico Highlands University, 101-91.

With the win, ENMU improved to 2-0 on the season. NMHU dropped to 1-2. Eastern has won its first two games for the first time since the 1996-97 season. The Hounds and NMHU will meet for the second time in four days on Monday, Nov. 26. Game time at Greyhound Arena in Portales, N.M., is set for 8:00 p.m. (MST) following the ENMU-NMHU women’s game at 6:00 p.m. (MST).

The Greyhounds trailed 42-34 at halftime, but took command for most of the second half. Eastern opened the final 20 minutes with a 12-0 run and outscored the Cowboys, 18-2, during the first 4:11 of the period. Eastern took its largest lead of the game, 63-52, on a basket by Jamaal Hunnicutt (Fr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill J.C.) with 12:57 left in the game. New Mexico Highlands pulled within six points, 64-58, at the 10:59 mark.

The Cowboys eventually tied the score, 75-75, with 3:43 remaining on a pair of free throws by Michael Clay. ENMU moved back in front 23 second later on a 3-point basket by Randy Johnson (Jr., G, Italy, TX/McLennan C.C.).

Garland Coleman (So., G/F, Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.) added a free throw with 2:40 left, and Charles sank two free throws at the 2:16 mark, giving the Greyhounds an 81-75 advantage.

Highlands trailed 84-80 after Jonathan Cooper (Jr., G, Richton, Park, IL/Chaffey College) of ENMU hit the first of two free throws with 30 seconds left. Gabe Maldonado cut the deficit to one on a 3-point basket with 20 seconds to go. Cooper added a free throw with 0:18 remaining, but missed the second attempt, as Eastern took an 85-83 lead.

Quincy Saxton of NMHU tied the score on two free throws with 0:09 left. ENMU missed its final shot of regulation, as the game moved into overtime tied at 85-85. Charles played a key role during overtime, scoring 8 of Eastern’s 16 points on three baskets and a pair of free throws. He hit a jumper just 11 seconds into the extra period and supplied another basket with 3:30 left, as ENMU completed a 6-0 run for a 91-85 advantage.

Saxton connected on a 3-point basket with 2:43 left, and Maldonado hit a 3-pointer with 2:16 left, as NMHU countered with a 6-0 run of its own to tied the game, 91-91. The Cowboys never scored again, as the Greyhounds tallied the final 10 points.

Hooker’s 3-point basket from the right elbow gave the Hounds a 94-91 lead. Charles hit two free throws with 36 seconds left, and Cooper added one free throw eight seconds later.Eastern moved within a point of the century mark on a layup by Charles with 11 seconds remaining.

Belt hit two free throws with 0:03 to go to push ENMU over the 100-point mark for the first time since a 103-95 victory over Angelo State on Jan. 9, 1999. Charles hit 9 of 15 field goals and 10 of 11 free throws. He also grabbed 6 rebounds and recorded 2 steals. His 30-point performance was a career high, surpassing his previous best of 25 points against Western New Mexico on Dec. 7, 2000.

Three other ENMU players scored in double digits. Joel Simpson (Jr., F, Detroit,MI/Kilgore College) scored 16 points and led all players with 14 rebounds. Cooper finished the game with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals. Belt contributed 13 points and 3 assists, while Johnson added 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting.

Maldonado led the Cowboys with 28 points. He was 7 of 27 from the floor, including 5 of 19 on three-point shots. He sank 9 of 9 free throw attempts. Glen Brown tallied 20 on 5 of 6 field goals and 10 of 14 free throws. Clay produced 16 points for NMHU, while Saxton supplied 12 points, 6 assists and 2 steals.

ENMU earned an impressive 59-33 rebounding margin. Brown, who hauled down 10 boards for NMHU, was the only Cowboy with more than 4 rebounds. New Mexico Highlands partially offset its rebounding woes by connecting on 33 of 39 free throws.

The Cowboys made 8 three-pointers, but had 29 three-point attempts (27.6%). NMHU hit 36.2% from the field (25 of 69), but made just 2 of 8 shots in overtime. Eastern was 31 of 46 at the line and 6 of 14 on three-pointers.

The Greyhounds sank only 9 of 30 field goals in the first half (30.0%), but made 18 of 36 (50.0%) in the second half and 5 of 6 (83.3%) in overtime. ENMU shot 44.4% (32 of 72) for the game.