Greyhounds Lead NMSU at Halftime,
Before Falling to Aggies, 86-76
Hunnicutt Earns 15 Points, 10 Boards, Six Assists

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Eastern New Mexico University Greyhounds provided NCAA Division I foe New Mexico State University with a worthy opponent at the Pan American Center on Thursday, Dec. 30, as ENMU rallied from an early 12-point deficit to take a 44-42 halftime lead, before falling to the Aggies, 86-76. NMSU improved to 4-7 on the season, while ending a five-game losing streak. Eastern also concluded the game with a 4-7 record.

Jamaal Hunnicutt (Sr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) provided the Greyhounds with 15 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. He was 4 of 8 from the floor and hit 7 of 10 free throws. Hunnicutt, in his fourth season at ENMU after redshirting at Hill JC in 2000-01, has scored 968 points for the Greyhounds, and needs just 32 points to reach 1,000 in his career.

NMSU started quickly and held a 20-8 lead with 14:16 left in the first half. The Aggies were in front 10-8 at the 16:27 mark, then went on a 10-0 run over the next 2:11. NMSU also led by 12 points, 23-11, following a 3-pointer by Duane John with 11:54 on the clock.

The Greyhounds rallied with a 20-7 run, ultimately moving in front 31-30 on a 3-point shot by Jamal Washington (Sr., G, Pomona, CA/Victor Valley College) at the 5:42 mark. The Eastern comeback started with a modest 6-5 stretch that left NMSU with a solid 28-17 lead. ENMU followed up with a 14-2 spurt to take the lead.

Jason Breland (Jr., G, Los Angeles, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) scored six points during the 14-2 run, as he hit one of two free throws to begin the rally, then added a steal and dunk to cut the deficit to five points at 28-23, and tacked on a 3-pointer to pull the Hounds within 30-26. A layup by Hunnicutt cut the lead to 30-28, then ENMU took the lead on Washington’s 3-pointer.

Eastern led by as many as four points in the first half. Junior guard Billy Austin (Hobbs, NM/Eastern Wyoming College) gave the Hounds a 42-38 advantage when he hit a 3 point basket with 35 seconds left in the period. Antwan Alexander scored for NMSU with one second on the clock to cut the margin to 44-42 at the break.

Momentum shifted to NMSU early in the second half, as the Aggies went on a 9-4 run to open the stanza. Hunnicutt gave Eastern a 44-40 lead with a jump shot just six seconds into the period, but NMSU slipped past the Hounds, 47-46, on a 3-pointer by Mike Mitchell with 18:10 to go. The Aggies led 51-48 after a layup by Bryant Funston with 16:37 left.

ENMU was within one point of New Mexico State, 54-53, following a jumper by Breland with 14:19 remaining. NMSU responded with a 9-0 run that included two of the Aggies’ 13 three- pointers on the night. The run increased the lead to 63-53 with 11:53 on the clock.

The Hounds trailed by only four points, 65-51, at the 9:14 mark, and were behind by just six points, 68-62, with 8:30 left. NMSU took charge with seven unanswered points to start a 12-2 run, as the Aggies claimed a 16-point lead, 80-64.

NMSU was in front 85-68 after Allen Haynes sank the Aggies’ final 3-point basket with 3:52 to go. ENMU held the Aggies to one point the rest of the way, while ending the game with an 8-1 run to pull within 10 points.

Hunnicutt was one of six Greyhounds in double figures. He was joined by Breland with 14 points and Washington with 11 points, plus Austin, Jolen Montoya (Jr., G, Espanola Valley, NM/Neosho County CC) and Irshaun Pinckney (Sr., G, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) with 10 points each.

Breland also contributed eight rebounds, two steals and an assist, while Montoya provided five assists and Austin earned two steals.

Mitchell topped the NMSU scoring chart with 18 points. John contributed 15 points and Trevor Lawrence, the Aggies’ six-foot, 11-inch center added 12 points. Haynes chipped in 10 points, while Jeff Jones and Josh Jenkins tallied nine points and seven rebounds apiece. Funsten scored nine points and provided five rebounds, while playing 16 minutes, all in the second half.

The Aggies shot 52.6% for the game (30 of 57), including 55.6% (15 of 27) in the second half. NMSU was 13 of 25 on three-pointers after connecting on 8 of 13 (61.5%) over the final 20 minutes, but made just 13 of 27 free throws (48.1%).

Eastern hit 63.0% from the field in the first half (17 of 27), but dropped off to 35.5% (11 of 31) in the second stanza. The Greyhounds were 28 of 58 (48.3%) for the game, including 8 of 17 on 3-point shots (47.1%). ENMU was 12 of 18 (66.7%) at the free throw line.

NMSU achieved a 36-31 rebounding edge, and blocked six ENMU shots. The Aggies also forced the Hounds into 22 turnovers. New Mexico State finished the game with 21 turnovers.

The Greyhounds will play again on Thursday, Jan. 6, when they will host the University of Central Oklahoma. Game time at Greyhound Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. MST. The Lone Star Conference crossover game with UCO will be followed by another crossover game against Northeastern State University (Okla.) on Saturday, Jan. 8, at 4 p.m. MST.