Hunnicutt Earns Triple-Double, Leads Hounds to 87-60 Win over Abilene Christian

PORTALES, NM — Junior forward Jamaal Hunnicutt (Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) registered a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lead Eastern New Mexico University to an 87-60 victory over Abilene Christian University, in a Lone Star Conference game, Jan. 29, at Greyhound Arena. The Greyhounds, who took a 25-5 lead over the first 10 minutes of the game, improved to 12-6 overall and 2-1 in the LSC South. ACU fell to 10-8, 1-2 in the LSC South.

Travazz Buckley (Jr., F, Slidell, LA/Faulkner State College) added a game-high 18 points and led all players with 15 rebounds. He had 12 points and 7 rebounds at halftime, and finished the game 8 of 12 from the field.

The Greyhounds started the game with strong performances at both ends of the court. ENMU scored on six of its first eight shots, while building a 13-5 lead over the first 4:41. The lead reached 25-5, before David Baxter recorded ACU’s sixth point on a free throw with 9:24 left in the half.

Eastern led 36-12 following a layup by Buckley at the 7:09 mark, but ACU countered with a 14-4 run to trim the advantage to 40-26. The Greyhounds led 43-26 at halftime.

Abilene Christian opened the second half with a 15-7 run, pulling the Wildcats within nine points at 50-41. ACU also pulled within nine points, 56-47, when Mauro Matai sank a layup with 12:49 remaining.

Jamal Washington (Jr., G, Ontario, CA/Victor Valley College) scored the next two baskets for ENMU to ignite a 25-8 run that increased the lead to 81-55 with 4:48 left. Eastern concluded the run with 12 unanswered points.

Hunnicutt’s triple-double was the first in recent memory for the Greyhounds. He almost registered a triple-double at Angelo State during the 2001-02 season, but finished the night with 18 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists.

Buckley and Hunnicutt were joined in double figures by Garland Coleman (Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor HS) with 13 points, and by Kennis Green (Jr., F, Houston, TX/Blinn College) with 12 points. Hunnicutt was 7 of 14 from the floor, while Coleman went 6 of 12. Green was 4 of 7, including 3 of 5 on 3-pointers.

Washington scored five points, and also contributed five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Brent Cooper (Sr., G, Mobile, AL/Faulkner State College) added eight points, four boards and two assists.

ENMU was 36 of 71 on field goals (50.7%) and made 6 of 15 three-pointers (40.0%). ACU shot just 35.9% overall (23 of 64), including 30.0% (9 of 30) in the first half. The Wildcats sank 6 of 20 three-points shots. Both teams hit just 9 of 19 free throws.

ACU was led by Baxter, who finished with 13 points on four 3-pointers and a free throw. Tucker Pierson tacked on 11 points and five rebounds. Rodney Lee, who entered the game averaging 13.8 points per game, was held to eight points on 2 of 9 shooting. Matthias Krieg topped the Wildcats with six rebounds and also scored six points. Cliff Green earned seven assists. Abilene Christian blocked eight shots, with Krieg and Adrian Scott recording two each.

Eastern will play two more home games before hitting the road. The Greyhounds are set to host Angelo State University on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. (MST). ENMU will take on arch rival West Texas A&M University on Monday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. (MST).