Cedric Palmer Scores 25 Points for Greyhounds in 93-90 LSC South Victory over Angelo State
Irshaun Pinckney Sinks 2 FTs with 0:10 Left to Clinch Win

SAN ANGELO, TX – Senior forward Cedric Palmer (Houston, TX/McLennan CC) scored 25 points, and sophomore guard Irshaun Pinckney (Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) hit two free throws with 10 seconds left, as Eastern New Mexico University won its sixth game in a row with a 93-90 victory over Angelo State University, Jan. 25 at the Junell Center. ENMU upped its overall record to 10-6, while improving to 2-0 in the Lone Star Conference South Division. ASU fell to 11-7 on the season, 1-2 in the LSC South.

Palmer, the Preseason MVP in the LSC South, entered the game as Eastern’s top scorer, with 13.3 points per game. He scored 21 points and committed only one foul in the first half, but picked up four fouls in the second half. He scored 25 points in just 28 minutes, before fouling out with 44 seconds left. Palmer converted 9 of 13 field goals and 7 of 8 free throws.

The Greyhounds led for nearly the entire game, and held a 49-35 halftime lead. Angelo State never moved in front, but achieved a 3-3 tie early in the game, and trailed by two points or less several times in the first 12 minutes. The Rams also rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes to pull within a single point, 91-90, with 12 seconds left.

Eastern owned an 82-70 advantage with 3:52 left, and led 84-74 after Palmer scored with 1:47 on the clock. ASU battled into contention by sinking four 3-pointers in the final 1:44.

A two-pointer by Dustin Patton with 0:44 left cut the deficit to six points, 88-82, and a pair of free throws by Germaine Chase made it 88-84 at the 0:36 mark. ENMU received two free throws from Pinckney with 30 seconds left, then Chase sank a 3 pointer with 22 seconds to go.

Brent Cooper (Jr., G, Mobile, AL/Faulkner State College) hit one of two free throws for the Hounds with 21 seconds left for a 91-87 lead. Chase recorded his second 3-pointer of the final minute - his second 3-pointer of the game - with 12 seconds remaining. Pinckney was fouled by Chase two seconds later, and converted both charity shots to clinch the win.

ASU’s late charge resulted in the Rams tallying 16 points in the final 1:44. ENMU was able to hold off the rally with strong free throw shooting. Eastern hit 9 of 12 free throws in the final minute and a half, with Pinckney converting 5 of 6 at the line.

In the opening half, Eastern scored first 1:21 into the game on a 3-pointer by senior forward Jon Belt (Broken Arrow, OK/Northeastern Oklahoma A&M). ENMU led 11-5 with 15:35 left in the half, but held a precarious 25-24 lead at the 8:37 mark.

A 14-0 run, propelled by six points from Jamaal Hunnicutt (So., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC), gave the Greyhounds a 39-24 advantage. The Hounds remained in front by double-digits the rest of the half. ASU got as close at 45-35 with 1:15 left, but Palmer scored the final four points of the period, on a jump shot with 47 seconds left and a tip-in with one second left.

ENMU scored the first four points of the second half, but the Rams answered with a 12-2 run that shaved Eastern’s lead to 54-47 with 15:35 to go. ASU faced a four-point deficit, 71-67, at the 7:05 mark, but trailed 79-68 when Cooper sank two free throws with 5:18 remaining.

Palmer finished three points short of his career high of 28, recorded earlier this season in an 83-77 win over Ouachita Baptist (Nov. 29). Cooper added 14 points and three assists, while Hunnicutt provided 11 points and six rebounds. Kevin Iverson (Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Elgin CC) and Randy Johnson (Sr., G, Italy, TX/McLennan CC) tallied 10 points apiece. Iverson also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists.

Chase led ASU with 24 points, including 10 of 16 at the free throw line. He also earned five assists and four rebounds. Toby Thompson contributed 20 points and four assists, while sinking 5 of 10 three-point shots. Jordan Walker produced 12 points on 6 of 6 shooting. Omar Waller tacked on 11 points and nine rebounds. Jay Lewis scored 11 points and earned four assists.

The game featured 63 fouls, with 33 called on Angelo State. ENMU sank 34 of 45 free throws (75.6%), while Angelo State converted 25 of 35 charity shots (71.4%). ENMU also held a 36-33 rebounding edge and shot 58.3% for the game (28 of 48). ASU shot 45.8% (27-59), and made 11 of 35 three-pointers (31.4%). ENMU was 3 of 8 from 3-point range.

ENMU returns to Greyhound Arena for LSC South home games on Thursday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Feb. 1. The Hounds will host Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (MST), and will take on Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. (MST). TAMU-Commerce leads the LSC South at 3-0, one-half game ahead of ENMU and West Texas A&M (2-0).