Greyhounds Edge Defending National Champion Northeastern State, 62-61
Coleman Sinks Winning Free Throw with 0:08 Left

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Garland Coleman (Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor HS) scored 19 points and sank the go-ahead free throw with eight seconds left, as Eastern New Mexico University slipped past the defending NCAA Division II National champions from Northeastern State University, 62-61, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game, Dec. 6, in Tahlequah, Okla. ENMU improved to 4-3 on the season. The Redmen dropped to 5-4.

Coleman's basket with 4:24 left in the game created a 57-56 lead for the Greyhounds. The score changed hands two more times before Darnell Hinson of NSU rebounded a teammate's errant 3-pointer and scored on a 3-pointer of his own to tied the game, 61-61, with 11 seconds left. Coleman nailed the first of two free throws three seconds later to give ENMU the win.

Coleman, who connected on 9 of 10 shots from the field in a 67-66 win at the University of Central Oklahoma on Thursday (Dec. 4), hit 9 of 11 field goals against Northeastern State. His 19 points led the Greyhounds in scoring. He also provided two assists, two rebounds, one block and one steal.

Hinson led all players with 28 points on 10 of 20 shooting, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range, plus 2 for 2 at the line. He hit a two-point basket with 3:28 remaining in the game to give NSU a 58-57 lead, but Kennis Green (Jr., F, Houston, TX/Blinn College) scored on a layup for ENMU with 3:13 on the clock. Green's basket put Eastern back in front, 59-58.

Neither team scored during the next two and a half minutes. The scoring drought included a defensive stand by the Greyhounds that forced NSU into a shot clock violation with 1:07 left. The Redmen were able to launch a field goal attempt at the end of the possession, but the shot failed to hit the rim.

Coleman increased the lead to 61-58 on a layup with 39 seconds remaining. After NSU took a time-out, the Redmen ran the clock down to about 15 seconds before attempting a game-tying 3-pointer. The shot missed, but Hinson grabbed the rebound and launched his own three-pointer to tie the game.

After Coleman made one for two at the line, Northeastern had a final chance to win the game. ENMU applied defensive pressure and forced NSU to settle for a lengthy shot near the mid-court stripe. The shot missed as time expired.

The game featured 15 lead changes and seven ties. There were 10 lead changes and five ties in the second half.

ENMU overcame a strong 3-point shooting effort by the Redmen. NSU sank 12 of 25 three-pointers. Hinson's 6 for 10 performance led the way, with Derek Cline adding four 3-pointers on 12 attempts. Eastern was 3 of 8 from behind the 3-point stripe, with Brent Cooper (Sr., G, Mobile, AL/Faulkner State CC) hitting 2 for 3 and Green netting 1 for 3.

Coleman's 19 points led the Greyhounds in scoring. Green contributed 18 points, and was 7 of 12 on field goals overall. He was 3 for 3 at the line. Irshaun Pinckney (Jr., G, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS), who hit the winning jumper with 15 seconds left at UCO, provided nine points and three rebounds against the Redmen.

Jamaal Hunnicutt (Jr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and also contributed three steals, two assists and a blocked shot. He scored just six points and had six turnovers. The Greyhounds committed a season-low 10 turnovers as a team.

Hinson was joined in double-figures for NSU by Cline and Midwin Francis. Cline scored 14 points, while Francis chipped in 12 points and hauled down eight rebounds. Francis also blocked three shots. Shiloh Shores and Lateef Jackson each hauled down six rebounds. Northeastern State made just 11 turnovers.

The Hounds shot 52.2% for the game (24 of 46), including 54.2% (13 of 24) in the second half. Eastern also converted 11 of 14 free throws (78.6%), to offset Northeastern State's lead in 3-point shooting. The Redmen were 3 for 4 at the line.

Northeastern State hit 23 of 52 field goals overall (44.2%). The Redmen sank just 11 of 27 shots in the second half (40.7%).

ENMU improved to 3-3 after six games in a string of eight consecutive road contests. The Hounds will complete the road trip with games at the University of the Incarnate Word on Dec. 13 and at Oklahoma Panhandle State University on Dec. 18. Eastern, currently 1-0 at home, will return to Greyhound Arena on Dec. 31 for a rematch with OPSU.