Greyhounds use 26-8 Run in Final 10 Minutes
to Claim 72-61 Win over Panhandle State
Hunnicutt Scores 14 Points, Grabs 9 Rebounds

Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. — Eastern New Mexico University went on a 26-8 run over the final 10 minutes, as the Greyhounds overcame a seven-point deficit on their way to a 72-61 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Dec. 8 at Greyhound Arena. The win upped Eastern’s overall record to 3-4, while OPSU fell to 2-8. ENMU won for the first time in four games at home, but all three losses were to undefeated or nationally-ranked teams.

ENMU converted 26 of 30 free throws (86.7%) on the night, including 16 of 17 over the final 20 minutes. Jamaal Hunnicutt (Sr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) led four players in double figures by scoring 14 points. He also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots. He converted 8 of 11 free throw attempts.

The Greyhounds trailed 53-46 with 10:03 remaining, but controlled the remainder of the second half. Eastern began its big game-ending run with a three-pointer by Billy Austin (Jr., G, Hobbs, NM/Eastern Wyoming College) with 9:44 to go. The Hounds pulled within three points, 54-51, when Chad Donnell (So., F, Frankston, TX/Frankston HS) made two free throws with 8:25 left.

Reggie Wallace (Jr., G, Pasadena, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) gave ENMU the lead for good, 59-58, at the 5:19 mark, by hitting two free throws. Wallace increased the advantage to 62-58 with a layup and foul shot with 4:56 left.

Momentum continued to move in Eastern’s direction when Hunnicutt blocked a shot by Ramon McDaniel with 4:24 remaining, and Jason Breland (Jr., G, Los Angeles, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) pounded home a dunk, assisted by Wallace, six seconds later, for a 64-58 lead. OPSU countered with a three-pointer by Eddie Moss to get within three points at the 4:12 mark, but the Aggies never scored again.

Jolen Montoya (Jr., G, Cordova, NM/Neosho County CC) added a jumper with 3:05 left, and Irshaun Pinckney (Sr., G, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) sank two free throws at the 1:49 mark, as ENMU pulled out to a 68-61 margin.

Eastern held a 37-30 halftime lead, which expanded to 43-33 on a layup by Edmound Elzy (Sr., F, Victorville, CA/Barstow CC) with 16:53 left. OPSU overcame the 10-point deficit by launching a 20-3 run. The Aggies started their offensive surge with 12 unanswered points. William Preston hit a jumper to begin the rally, then Eddie Moss canned back-to-back three-pointers.

Jecorey Leggins scored the tying layup with 14:42 left, then put OPSU in front, 45-43, on another layup at the 13:25 mark. Eastern took a 46-45 lead with 12:21 remaining, but the Aggies scored the next eight points. Moss started the 8-0 run with a three-pointer and completed it with a jump shot.

In the first half, Panhandle State led by as many as seven points, 20-13, but the Greyhounds claimed a 24-23 lead on Pinckney’s jumper with 5:46 remaining. Austin added a jumper for a 26-23 advantage. Preston hit a three-pointer for OPSU on the Aggies’ next possession to tie the score, then neither team led by more than a single point until Eastern closed the period with an 8-0 run. Montoya scored the final points of the half on a three-pointer with three seconds left.

Hunnicutt was joined in double figures by Montoya, Austin and Breland with 11 points apiece. Wallace scored nine points and earned four assists, while Pinckney contributed eight points, and tied Hunnicutt for the game lead with nine rebounds. Austin and Wallace each provided the Hounds with two steals.

OPSU was led by Moss, who finished with a game-high 25 points. He was 9 of 16 on shots from the floor, including 6 of 10 on three-pointers. Preston added 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot in 35 minutes. He was 7 of 10 on field goals. Leggins produced nine points for the Aggies.

ENMU shot 47.7% (21 of 44) for the game, while OPSU connected on 46.2% of its shots (24 of 52). After converting on 21 of its first 37 shots, Panhandle made just 3 of 15 down the stretch. Eastern gained a huge edge at the charity stripe with its 26-of-30 performance, while the Aggies were 5 of 9.

Panhandle State committed 19 turnovers, with the Hounds losing the ball 15 times. Both teams recorded 26 rebounds, but ENMU earned a 17-14 margin off the glass in the second half.

Eastern returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 11 at Tarleton State University. Tip-off in the LSC crossover game is slated for 7 p.m. MST. Tarleton State is the defending LSC North and overall LSC champion. ENMU won the LSC South Division title last year, after winning the division title for the first time in 2002-03.