Athletic Report
November 26, 2001

EASTERN PULLS AWAY FROM HIGHLANDS FOR 80-61 VICTORY OVER IN-STATE RIVALS
Hounds Close Game with 25-8 run
PORTALES, NM — Three Eastern New Mexico University players scored 15 points, and the Greyhounds pulled away from New Mexico Highlands University in the final six minutes, as ENMU defeated the Cowboys, 81-60, on Monday, Nov. 26, at Greyhound Arena.

The Hounds improved to 3-0, while NMHU fell to 1-3 on the season. Jonathan Cooper (Jr., G, Richton Park, IL/Chaffey College), Jon Belt (Jr., F, Broken Arrow, OK/NE Oklahoma A&M) and Joel Simpson (Jr., F, Detroit, MI/Kilgore College) each recorded 15 points for the Hounds. Jamaal Hunnicutt (Fr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill J.C./ Randall H.S.) added 13 points for ENMU.

Eastern is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 1996-97, when the Greyhounds started the season 9-0. ENMU, which was playing its home opener on Monday, also defeated NMHU, 101-91 in overtime, on Friday, Nov. 23, in Las Vegas, N.M.

In the rematch, the Hounds led by 14 points, 44-30, with just 53 seconds left in the first half following a rebound and layup by Cooper. Highlands cut the lead to 45-36 at the half, as Gabe Maldonado sank two free throws with 44 second left, Jeremiah Aragon supplied another charity shot with 18 seconds to go, and Maldonado connected on a 3-point shot with 0:06 left for a 7-1 run.

Eastern regained a 14-point lead at 51-37 with a 6-1 run of its own to start the second half. Belt completed the run with a layup at the 15:54 mark. NMHU scored its first field goal of the second half with 14:50 remaining, on a layup by Michael Roach. The basket by Roach started a 16-4 surge by the Cowboys, who pulled within two points, 55-53, on a pair of free throws by Torry Peoples with 6:45 to go.

The ENMU lead was three points, 57-54, at the 6:09 mark, but the Greyhounds scored the next seven points to extend their lead to 64-54 just one minute later. ENMU led by at least eight points the rest of the way, and closed the game with a 12-1 run.

Belt hit a layup with 2:20 left, then Eastern scored its last 10 points at the charity stripe on 14 free throw attempts in the final 1:18. The Hounds were 23 of 30 (76.7%) at the line during the game. Cooper, Belt and Simpson not only led Eastern in scoring, but also contributed to Eastern’s 52-24 advantage on the boards.

Simpson led all players with 9 rebounds, while Cooper added 8 rebounds and Belt hauled down 7 boards. Eastern’s dominance on the glass also included 7 rebounds by Garland Coleman (So., G/F, Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.) and 6 boards by Hunnicutt. Coleman also supplied the Greyhounds with 6 points and 5 assists. Keenan Hooker (Fr., G, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) scored 7 points, to go with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

The Greyhounds shot 50.0% in the first half (18 of 36), but cooled off to 33.3% (9 of 27) in the second half. Eastern offset its shooting woes with solid defense, as the Hounds limited NMHU to 25.0% from the floor 6 of 24) in the second half.

The Cowboys, who made 5 of 8 first half 3-pointers, sank just 2 of 12 treys in the final period. Maldonado was the leading scorer for NMHU, with 17 points. The high-scoring guard sank just 4 of 16 field goals.Glenn Brown added 15 points and 5 boards for the Cowboys, while Morales scored 9 points and Peoples grabbed 6 rebounds.

ENMU plays again on Thursday, Nov. 29, at Cameron University, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game. The action is set to get underway at 7:00 p.m. (MST). LSC crossover games do not count in the divisional standings.