Jon Belt Scores 20 Points, Grabbs 10 Rebounds, to Lead ENMU to 97-82 Win over Abilene Christian

ABILENE, TX – Senior forward Jon Belt (Broken Arrow, OK/NE Oklahoma A&M) recorded a double-double with 20 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, leading Eastern New Mexico University to a 97-82 Lone Star Conference victory over Abilene Christian University, Jan. 23 at Moody Coliseum. ENMU, which recorded its fifth consecutive win, upped its overall record to 9-6, while starting LSC South action at 1-0. ACU dropped to 9-7 on the season, and fell to 0-2 in the LSC South.

Belt sank seven of 11 field goals, including four of five 3-point attempts, and converted two of two free throws. He also provided the Greyhounds with four steals and one assist, while committing just one turnover in 30 minutes on the floor.

It was Belt’s second straight game with at least 20 points. He tied his career-high with 21 points in a 72-59 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday (Jan. 18).

Belt scored 15 of his points in the first half. He recorded eight points, including two 3-point shots, during Eastern’s game-opening 25-18 run. The Greyhounds’ offensive surge featured 11 successful field goals on the team’s first 12 attempts.

ACU battled back to lead 32-31. The Wildcats also were in front, 34-33, with 7:34 left in the half. Rodney Lee tallied eight points during ACU’s 16-8 run, and finished the night with a game-high 27 points, including six of eight on 3-point shots.

ENMU quickly moved in front for good on a layup by Cedric Palmer (Sr., F, Houston, TX/McLennan CC) with 7:08 left in the opening period. Palmer added two more layups, then tacked on a free throw, giving him seven consecutive points to start a 9-0 outburst by ENMU.

The Hounds eventually increased their lead 49-37 with 1:58 left in the half. ACU scored the final five points of the stanza on a layup and a 3-pointer, both by Calvin Nite.
Kevin Iverson (Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Elgin CC) of ENMU scored the first basket of the second half, but Ryan Coleman sank back-to-back 3-pointers for Abilene to cut the margin to 51-48.

The Greyhounds extended their lead to 54-48, as Jamaal Hunnicutt (So., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) hit three of four charity shots. Lee countered with a 3-pointer, but Eastern took command of the game with a 14-3 run. ENMU claimed a 68-54 advantage with 10:51 remaining.

Two free throws by Drexel Johnson and two 3-pointers by Lee allowed Abilene Christian to pull within 68-62 at the 8:58 mark. The Wildcats cut the deficit to six points two more times over the next minute, but ENMU scored the next basket each time. Eastern continued to hold off ACU, and built a 83-70 lead with 4:28 left.

Hunnicutt and Palmer joined Jon Belt in double figures with 15 points each. Hunnicutt sank nine of 12 free throws and Palmer converted seven of 11 shots from the field. Garland Coleman (Jr., G/F, Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor HS) chipped in 12 points, and Brent Cooper (Jr., G, Mobile, AL/Faulkner State College) added 11 points.
Coleman hit five of seven field goals. He also supplied the Greyhounds with five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Cooper was credited with four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Iverson contributed nine points and six assists. Irshaun Pinckney (So., G, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) scored eight points and earned three rebounds.

Lee was successful on 10 of 14 field goals for ACU. His six 3-pointers helped the Wildcats finish the night nine of 18 from behind the 3-point arc. Tucker Pierson tallied 17 points for ACU, while sinking all seven of his field goal tries. Nite supplied nine points, while Ryan Coleman registered six points and a team-high five rebounds.

ENMU achieved a 32-26 edge in rebounding. The Greyhounds committed just 13 turnovers, while forcing 22 turnovers by ACU. Both teams shot well, with ENMU hitting 56.1% for the game (37 of 66) and the Wildcats connecting on 58.5% (31 of 53).

The Greyhounds will play another LSC South road game on Saturday, Jan. 25, when they travel to San Angelo, Texas, to take on Angelo State University. Game time at the Junell Center on the ASU campus is set for 7 p.m. (MST).