Greyhounds Fall to Midwestern State in Overtime
Hunnicutt Scores Career-High 29 Points, Breland adds 24 Points for ENMU

Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. — Senior forward Jamaal Hunnicutt (Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) scored a career-high 29 points, including a game-tying layup with 34 seconds left in regulation, but Eastern New Mexico University couldn’t get the lead in overtime, as Midwestern State University escaped Greyhound Arena with a 92-86 win on Saturday, Jan. 22. The Indians used the Lone Star Conference win to improve to 10-8 overall, including 2-1 in the LSC South. Eastern dropped to 7-10 on the season and to 0-2 in the LSC South.

The Greyhounds also received a career-high 24 points from junior guard Jason Breland (Los Angeles, CA/Mt. San Antonio College), who scored 18 points in the first half. Breland hit a 3-pointer as the first half ended to pull the Greyhounds within 38-35 at the intermission.

Eastern trailed by as many as nine points in the second half, including 50-41 after Jose Nava sank two free throws for the Indians with 16:01 remaining. The Hounds scored seven of the next nine points to get within 52-48, but didn’t get closer until Reggie Wallace (Jr., G, Pasadena, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) put in a layup with 9:12 to go, cutting MSU’s lead to 65-63.

The Hounds tied the game at 65-65 on a free throw by Hunnicutt at the 8:24 mark. The Indians, however, moved back in front on a jumper by Eddie Rowe less than 30 seconds later. Midwestern State led by six points two times the rest of the way, at 71-65 with 6:10 left, and at 78-72, following a 3-pointer by Chad Rickett with 2:58 remaining.

Three-point baskets by Edmound Elzy (Sr., F, Victorville, CA/Barstow CC) and Jolen Montoya (Jr., G, Cordova, NM/Neosho County CC) tied the game for ENMU with 2:13 left. Rowe hit two free throws with 1:48 on the clock, then neither team scored until Hunnicutt’s tying layup. Rickett took a 12-foot jumper with only seconds left for MSU, but missed the shot.

In overtime, Leonard Pralour scored first, giving MSU an 82-80 advantage with a layup at the 4:38 mark. Elzy tied the game with a jumper on Eastern’s first possession of the period, but Midwestern regained the lead with three-point play by Jay January with 3:55 left.

Eastern tied the score one more time, when Hunnicutt scored and was fouled with 3:06 remaining. Hunnicutt, who went 11 of 15 at the charity stripe, converted the three-point play for an 85-85 deadlock.

The Indians moved in front for good when Nava made one free throw at the 2:04 mark. MSU extended the lead with four free throws in the final 19 seconds. Rickett made the first two shots from the line, with January adding the final two with seven seconds left.

Hunnicutt’s 29 points included a 9-of-13 performance from the field. He also grabbed 12 rebounds, provided four assists and had three steals. He now has scored 1,093 career points at Eastern, moving him into 15th place on the Greyhounds’ all-time list.

Breland connected on 9 of 14 field goals and made 2 of 3 three-pointers. He was 4 for 4 at the free throw line, and provided seven rebounds, one assist, a blocked shot and a steal. Montoya also reached double figures, as he scored 10 points to go with three boards and three assists.

While Hunnicutt and Breland combined to go 18 of 27 (66.7%) from the field, Eastern’s remaining three starters hit just 8 of 37 shots (21.6%). Wallace and Montoya were a combined 6 of 29 from the guard position (20.7%). Eastern’s injury situation may have played a part in the poor shooting, as Wallace played 38 minutes and Montoya played all 40 in a 97-90 loss on Thursday, Jan. 20 to Texas A&M University-Commerce, ranked #13 in NCAA Division II.

Reserve guard Aaron Rodriguez (Fr., Roswell, NM/Briar Cliff University), who played a total of seven minutes in six previous appearances, provided six minutes of solid action against MSU. He scored four points by hitting his only field goal attempt and by going 2 for 2 on free throws.

Hunnicutt’s rebounding efforts were complemented by Elzy, who grabbed eight rebounds, and by Breland, who registered seven boards. Wallace led the Hounds with five assists.

Eastern held a 41-33 rebounding lead over the Indians, but committed 21 turnovers, while MSU lost the ball only 15 times. The Indians also recorded 16 steals, led by January with four.

Five Indians ended the game in double figures. Tate Lombard scored 17 points, and was followed by Rickett with 16 points. Rowe contributed 13 points, while January scored 11 and Shelton Hawkins added 10. Justin James tallied eight points, and led the Indians with 12 boards.

Midwestern State converted 50.0% of its shots from the field (33 of 66) and made 21 of 24 free throws (87.5%). ENMU shot 42.6% from the field (29 of 68), but made only 4 of 25 shots from 3-point range. The Greyhounds sank 24 of 32 free throws. Both teams were 15 of 27 from the field in the second half, but MSU made 3 of 4 shots in overtime, while ENMU went 0 of 7.

The Hounds play again on Monday, Jan. 24, when they take on arch rival West Texas A&M University. Game time is set for 7 p.m. MST at the WTAMU Event Center in Canyon, Texas.