Greyhounds Hit Free Throws in Final Minute to Clinch 55-52 Win at Texas A&M-Commerce

COMMERCE, TX — Senior guard Brent Cooper (Mobile, AL/Faulkner State College) hit two free throws with 17 seconds left, and junior guard Irshaun Pinckney (Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) sank two free throws with eight seconds remaining, as Eastern New Mexico University held off Texas A&M University-Commerce, 55-52, in a Lone Star Conference South Division game, Jan. 22 at the A&M-C Field House. The Greyhounds, ranked #5 in the NCAA Division II South Central Region, improved to 11-5 overall and opened LSC South play at 1-0. TAMU-Commerce fell to 9-8 on the season, 0-2 in the LSC South.

Eastern clung to a slim 46-45 led with 2:49 remaining, but increased the margin to 51-46 with a 5-1 run. Travazz Buckley (Jr., F, Slidell, LA/Faulkner State College) started the run with a jumper at the 2:30 mark. He was fouled on the play, and converted the free throw, giving ENMU a four-point lead.

Allen Walker pulled the Lions within three points when he made the second of two free throws with 2:06 left. Pinckney supplied ENMU with what appeared to be a comfortable lead when he scored on a jumper as the shot clock expired with just 33 second on the game clock.

TAMU-Commerce took the ball quickly down the court and cut the deficit to 51-49 on a 3-pointer by Poncho Reedy with 27 seconds to go. The Lions had a chance to tie or take the lead when Ready earned a steal at the 24-second mark, but his layup was blocked from behind by Jamaal Hunnicutt (Jr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC). Eastern’s Jamaal Washington (Jr., F, Ontario, CA/Victor Valley College) grabbed the rebound and passed to Cooper.

Cooper was fouled and connected on both sides of the one-and-one. The Hounds led 53-49, but saw their advantage reduced to a single point when Matthew Rager drilled a 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining.

Pinckney was fouled by Rager four seconds later. The foul, the ninth of the second half on TAMU-Commerce, resulted in another one-and-one for the Greyhounds. Pinckney hit both shots to secure the win. Reedy launched a desperation 3-pointer with four seconds left, but the shot wasn’t close, and Washington rebounded for Eastern to end the game.

ENMU led 25-23 at halftime, but gave up the first 11 points of the second half, as the Lions took a 35-24 lead. The Greyhounds pulled within 36-29 with 12:05 remaining, then reeled off an 8-2 run to reduce the lead to 38-37 with 10:03 on the clock. ENMU went ahead for good with 8:46 left on a basket by Garland Coleman (Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor HS).

Both teams struggled from the floor, as the Greyhounds shot 39.0% (23 of 59) and the Lions hit 35.6% (21 of 59). Commerce made just 9 of 29 field goals in the first half (31.0%). In the second half, both teams connected on 12 of 30 field goals, but ENMU made 5 of 5 free throws, while the Lions hit just 2 of 4 charity shots.

Eastern’s difficulties on offense were primarily outside the 3-point line, where the Hounds sank only 2 of 18 attempts. Kennis Green (Jr., F, Houston, TX/Blinn College), who went just 1 for 9 on 3-pointers, made his only long-range shot with 7:21 left to give ENMU a 44-40 lead. Cooper made Eastern’s other 3-pointer during the first half.

The Greyhounds shot a solid 21 of 41 (51.2%) from two-point range. Pinckney was the only ENMU player in double figures, with 10 points and six rebounds. Washington, Buckley, Green and Coleman each recorded eight points for the Hounds. Washington grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, while Hunnicutt hauled down eight boards and Buckley earned six.

Commerce was 3 of 11 on 3-point shots, including 3 of 6 in the second half. The Lions converted 18 of 48 shots from inside the arc (37.5%). Clay Lewkowski was the only A&M-C player in double figures. He led all scorers with 21 points on 9 of 20 field goals and 3 for 3 at the line. Thaddeus Daggett contributed a game-high 12 rebounds, while Rager tallied nine points and Walker earned five assists.

The Hounds and Lions finished the game with 39 rebounds each. ENMU committed 12 turnovers. TAMU-Commerce lost the ball 11 times.

ENMU returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 24, at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The LSC South game will get underway at 3 p.m. (MST). The Javelinas defeated West Texas A&M University, 86-68, on Jan. 22, to improve to 11-6 overall and to 2-0 in the LSC South.