Greyhounds Earn 72-62 Victory over Cameron
Irshaun Pinckney Scores 15 Points for ENMU

PORTALES, NM – Eastern New Mexico University built a 61-40 lead, then held off Cameron University for a 72-62 Lone Star Conference crossover victory over the Aggies, Jan. 16 at Greyhound Arena. Sophomore guard Irshaun Pinckney (Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) scored a career-high 15 points for the Greyhounds, who won their third game in a row to improve to 7-6 on the season. Cameron, which lost for the sixth time in its last seven games, fell to 7-6.

Pinckney converted six of eight field goals and went three for three at the charity stripe. He scored nine points in the first half, as ENMU fought its way to a 43-28 lead. He also scored with 3:43 left to end a 6:38 scoring drought by the Greyhounds and give Eastern a 63-52 advantage.

ENMU shot 64.0% (16 of 25) and made nine of 10 free throws in the first half. The Hounds achieved a substantial 15-6 rebounding margin over the first 20 minutes and ended the game with a 38-24 rebounding edge.

Cameron led 3-0 on Brian Colbert’s 3-pointer with 19:33 remaining in the first half, but never led again. ENMU took an 11-point advantage, 24-13, at the 8:59 mark of the opening period, and led 39-24 when Brent Cooper (Jr., G, Mobile, AL/Faulkner State College) scored two of his eight first-half points with 2:16 left on the clock.

The Greyhounds held a double-digit margin for most of the second half. ENMU’s 61-40 lead came on a 3-pointer by Randy Johnson (Sr., G, Italy, TX/McLennan CC) with 10:21 remaining. Following Johnson’s basket, Eastern struggled on offense, missing five field goals and two free throws, while committing six turnovers during an 12-0 run by Cameron. Colbert, who topped all scorers with 23 points for the Aggies, scored 10 points during CU’s run.

ENMU was in front 65-54 with 2:24 remaining after Pinckney hit two free throws. Cameron scored the next four points, on a layup by Marcus Girtmon and a jumper by Colbert, to pull within seven points, 65-58, with 1:28 to go.

Garland Coleman (Jr., G/F, Flossmoor, IL/Homewood- Flossmoor HS) converted a 3-point play with a basket and free throw at the 52-second mark to increase Eastern’s lead to 68-58. Cameron pulled back within seven points, 69-62, with 17 seconds left, on a layup by James Mitchell, but ENMU scored the game’s final three points.

The Greyhounds shot 51.9% for the game (27 of 52) and sank 15 of 20 free throws. Cameron finished the game at 47.3% from the floor (26 of 55) and eight of 13 (61.5%) at the free throw line. The Aggies committed just 13 turnovers, while forcing 19 turnovers by ENMU.

Pinckney was joined in double figures by Cooper, who scored 10 points to go with three assists, one blocked shot and two steals. Jon Belt (Sr., F, Broken Arrow, OK/NE Oklahoma A&M), Kevin Iverson (Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Elgin CC), David Hamilton (Jr., G, Grand Prairie, TX/Cisco JC) and Cedric Palmer (Sr., F, Houston, TX/McLennan CC) each contributed eight points for the Greyhounds.

Coleman led the Greyhounds with seven rebounds, while Iverson and Jamaal Hunnicutt (So., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) each hauled down six boards. Hunnicutt also provided Eastern with six assists.

Colbert was 10 of 16 from the field for Cameron. In addition to scoring 23 points, he earned five rebounds and three steals. Girtmon added 12 points on six of eight shooting, and led the Aggies with seven rebounds. Mitchell scored nine points for CU, while Jeremy Long tallied six points, five assists and two steals.

ENMU remains at home on Saturday, Jan. 18, when the Greyhounds will host Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Game time at Greyhound Arena is scheduled for 4 p.m. (MST).