Greyhounds Shoot 58.3% in Second Half, Defeat Southeastern Oklahoma, 57-55
Eastern Wins Without Injured Forward Cedric Palmer

DURANT, OK – Playing without leading scorer and rebounder Cedric Palmer (Sr., F, Houston, TX/McLennan CC), the Eastern New Mexico University Greyhounds needed a solid performance to defeat Southeastern Oklahoma State University in a Lone Star Conference crossover game, Jan. 9, in Durant, Okla. In the first half, the Greyhounds fell behind 25-21, while committing 15 turnovers and shooting 37.5% (9 of 24). In the second half, ENMU kept mistakes to a minimum, shooting 58.3% (14 of 24) and committing just five turnovers, as the Greyhounds defeated the Savages, 57-55, at Bloomer Sullivan Gym.

The win improved Eastern to 5-6, and ended a two-game losing streak for the Greyhounds. SE Oklahoma had its own losing streak extended to five games, as the Savages fell to 3-9.

Palmer missed the game with a swollen knee. His injury is being evaluated day-to-day. He currently leads the Greyhounds with 14.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Eastern led most of the second half, after pulling in front with a 9-4 run to open the final 20 minutes. Jon Belt (Sr., F, Broken Arrow, OK/NE Oklahoma A&M) hit a layup, a 3-pointer, and another layup to start the run. Jamaal Hunnicutt (So., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) completed the run with a layup just 3:23 into the second half, as ENMU took a 30-29 lead.

The Greyhounds scored 11 of the next 16 points for a 41-34 lead. Overall, ENMU achieved a 20-9 advantage over the first 9:11 of the second half.

SE Oklahoma eventually tied the score, 41-41, on a layup and free throw by Cedric Walker with 8:41 remaining. The Savages also pulled even with the Hounds at 43-43, and led briefly, 45-44, after a layup by Jeremy Brown with 5:54 to go. ENMU moved in front for good, 46-45, on a basket by Brent Cooper (Jr., G, Mobile, AL/Faulkner State College) with 5:28 left.

Eastern built a 50-45 lead, as the Hounds followed with baskets by Garland Coleman (Jr., G/F, Flossmoor, IL/ Homewood-Flossmoor HS) and Irshaun Pinckney (So., G, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS). SOSU scored twice to cut the deficit to a single point, 50-49, at the 2:56 mark, but a free throw by Hunnicutt and a three-pointer by Randy Johnson (Sr., G, Italy, TX/McLennan CC) gave Eastern a five-point lead with 2:00 remaining.
Two baskets by the Savages cut the lead to a single point, 54-53 with 47 seconds left. Cooper answered with two free throws for the Greyhounds with 36 seconds to go, giving ENMU a 56-53 lead. Walker missed a three-pointer for SOSU with 18 seconds left, and Coleman missed the front end of a one-and-one for ENMU with 15 seconds on the clock.

The Savages scored on their next possession when ENMU was called for goaltending with 6.1 seconds left. Jimmie Walker’s shot was blocked into the backboard on the play.
Eastern used its final time-out to narrowly avert a five-second call on the ensuing inbounds play. When action resumed, Kevin Iverson (Sr., G/F, Chicago, IL/Elgin CC) was fouled by SOSU with 6.1 seconds still on the clock. Iverson made the first one-and-one for a 57-55 ENMU lead.

Iverson missed the second free throw, and SE Oklahoma grabbed the rebound. The Savages never earned a final shot, as a mid-court pass was intercepted by the Greyhounds.

Hunnicutt supplied the Greyhounds with a strong all-around game. He tied for the team lead with 13 points, and connected on five of six field goals. He also tied for Eastern’s top rebounding honors, with seven boards. He added two assists and three steals.
Belt also scored 13 points for ENMU. He was 5 of 11 from the floor. Pinckney, Cooper and Johnson each contributed eight points.

The Savages were led by Paul, who scored 13 points. Cedric Walker and Zach Willingham both chipped in 11 points. Jimmie Walker scored just five points, but added three rebounds, three assists and three steals.

ENMU led 8-2 early in the game, but SE Oklahoma put together an 18-5 run for a 20-13 lead with 4:48 left in the half. Eastern trailed 14-13 with 10:10 on the clock, then went almost six minutes without scoring. Pinckney ended the dry spell with a layup at the 4:12 mark.

A three-pointer by Bud Valerius increased SOSU’s lead to eight points, 23-15, with 3:50 left in the half, but Eastern cut the deficit to three points with a 6-1 run. Jimmie Walker scored the final point of the first period on a free throw with 12 seconds left.

For the game, ENMU shot 47.9% ( 23 of 48). The Greyhounds were just eight of 16 at the charity stripe, but made three of five free throws in the final minute. SOSU shot 41.8% from the floor (23 of 55) and converted five of seven free throws (71.4%).

ENMU outrebounded the Savages, 33-29, led by Hunnicutt and Johnson with seven boards apiece. Pinckney added five rebounds for the Greyhounds, while Paul led SE Oklahoma with six rebounds. SOSU forced ENMU into 20 turnovers. The Savages made 18 turnovers.

The Greyhounds remain on the road for an LSC crossover game at East Central University on Saturday, Jan. 11. Tip-off in Ada, Okla., is slated for 3:00 p.m. (MST).