West Texas A&M Holds Off Greyhounds, 66-59
Buffaloes Extend Lead each time Eastern Rallies

Box Score

CANYON, TEXAS — Eastern New Mexico University kept coming back in the second half of their Lone Star Conference game, Jan. 24 at the WTAMU Event Center, but each time the Greyhounds got close, West Texas A&M University extended the lead again, as the Buffaloes held on for a 66-59 win. The Buffaloes improved to 8-10 overall and to 2-1 in the Lone Star Conference South Division. ENMU dropped to 7-11, 0-3 in the LSC South.

WTAMU center Jamil Terrell scored 15 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked three shots. Carl Lamb also scored 15 points, while Jason Campbell tallied 11 points to go with seven boards.

Jamaal Hunnicutt (Sr., F, Amarillo, TX/Hill JC), led Eastern with 22 points for his fourth
consecutive game with 20 or more. Jolen Montoya (Jr., G, Cordova, NM/Neosho County CC) contributed 19 points, five assists and three steals for the Greyhounds.

The Buffaloes led 36-27 at halftime, despite shooting just 41.4% from the floor (12 of 29) while ENMU shot 58.8% (10 of 17). WTAMU benefited from 16 turnovers during the half by Eastern, and also gained an advantage from behind the 3-point line, with six baskets in the first 20 minutes. ENMU hit two 3-pointers in the first half.

ENMU pulled within five points several times and four points once, but the Buffs responded each time. The Buffaloes shot just 36.0% in the second half (9 of 25), but West Texas hit 4 of 9 three-pointers. WTAMU also had nearly twice as many free throw attempts in the second period, with the Buffs hitting 8 of 17 and ENMU converting 5 of 9.

The Hounds opened the half with four straight points on a jumper by Jason Breland (Jr., G, Los Angeles, CA/Mt. San Antonio College), followed by a steal and layup from Jolen Montoya. The WTAMU lead quickly moved back to eight points on a layup and foul shot by Terrell at the 17:18 mark, then reached 10 points, 41-31, when Terrell added two free throws with 16:31 to go.

Eastern scored the next five points to pull within 41-36 on a 3-pointer by Montoya with 13:44 remaining. Kyle Shields scored on a jumper for WT, then Jamaal Hunnicutt recorded a steal and a layup to get ENMU within 43-38 at the 12:31 mark. Jarvis Brown converted a 3-pointer for the Buffs 13 seconds later.

An 11-6 run by the Greyhounds got ENMU as close as four points, 53-49, following a layup by Montoya with 5:44 on the clock. West Texas increased the lead to nine points over the next half minute, as Terrell tallied a layup and Carl Lamb hit a 3-pointer. Eastern trailed, 58-49, with 5:10 to go.

Daniel Sherman (Jr., F, Chino Hills, CA/Mt. San Antonio College), playing in his first game since Dec. 30 due to ankle and back injuries, hit a layup for the Hounds with 4:50 left. Breland earned a steal with 3:53 to go, and appeared headed for a layup himself, but Lamb blocked the shot. Breland was called for a technical foul as he responded to the play, and Lamb converted both free throws, giving WTAMU a 60-51 lead.

A three-point play by Terrell with 3:32 remaining put the Buffs up by 12 points and virtually clinched the win. The Greyhounds cut the deficit to single digits in the final minute.

ENMU led 5-4 and 7-5 early in the game, but the Buffaloes answered with a 9-0 run to take a 14-7 lead. Montoya countered with a 3-pointer for the Hounds, but West Texas scored the next six points to start a 13-2 run. The Buffs were in front 27-12 with 6:50 left in the half.

The Greyhounds were in foul trouble for a good portion of the first half, as Eastern was called for its 10th foul just over nine minutes into the game. At the time, WTAMU had just four fouls, but both teams left the court with 11 fouls at halftime.

Reggie Wallace (Jr., G, Pasadena, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) had three fouls for ENMU at the half, while Hunnicutt, Sherman and Edmound Elzy (Sr., F, Victorville, CA/Barstow CC) each had two. Jarvis Brown of West Texas A&M was whistled for three fouls in the first half.

ENMU outshot West Texas for the game (48.9% to 38.9%) and made two more field goals than the Buffs (23 to 21), but WTAMU hit 10 of 26 three-pointers and ENMU made just 3 of 11 three-point shots. The Buffs finished the night 14 of 27 at the free throw line. Eastern sank 10 of 18 free throws.

Up next for Eastern is an LSC South game at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Saturday, Jan. 29. Game time in Kingsville, Texas, is scheduled for 3 p.m. MST.