Hunnicutt Reaches 1,002 Points, as ENMU Outlasts Redmen, 65-62
Greyhounds Overcome 45-38 Deficit in Final 12:53

Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. — The Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico University overcame injuries, foul trouble, and a 45-38 deficit with 12:53 remaining, to claim a 65-62 victory over Northeastern State University at Greyhound Arena, in a Lone Star Conference crossover game on Saturday, Jan. 8. ENMU, which has won three of its last four games, losing only to New Mexico State University of NCAA Division I, improved to 6-7. Northeastern State dropped to 4-9.

Senior forward Jamaal Hunnicutt (Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) and junior forward Jason Breland (Los Angeles, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) tied for the team lead with 16 points. Hunnicutt increased his career scoring to 1,002 points, becoming the 20th player in ENMU history to pass the 1,000-point mark. He also grabbed 11 rebounds against NSU.

The Hounds took a 48-47 lead on a 3-pointer by Breland with 8:51 to go, and moved in front for good at the 3:55 mark on a jumper by Billy Austin (Jr., G, Hobbs, NM/Eastern Wyoming College). Eastern led 65-59 after Reggie Wallace (Jr., G, Pasadena, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) sank a pair of free throws with eight seconds left.

NSU’s Josh Talley hit a 3-pointer with four seconds to go, giving the Redmen a chance to tie the score after Breland missed two free throws. Talley traveled as time expired to end the threat.

ENMU zoomed out to a 12-5 lead with 15:55 left in the first half, as Hunnicutt and Breland scored five points each. The Greyhounds owned a 21-14 lead following a layup by Wallace at the 7:58 mark, but injuries and foul trouble started to impact Eastern’s efforts.

With Mikal Monette (Jr., F, Albuquerque, NM/Univ. of New Mexico) out for the year with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and Daniel Sherman (Jr., F, Chino Hills, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) out for the near future with ankle and back trouble, the ENMU roster took another hit when Irshaun Pinckney (Sr., G, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) injured his leg above the ankle early in the second half. Pinckney scored just two points, but had two blocks and two steals.

Two more injuries occurred when Jolen Montoya (Jr., G, Cordova, NM/Neosho County CC) and Austin twisted their ankles during the contest. Both players were able to return to the game.

Edmound Elzy (Sr., F, Victorville, CA/Barstow CC) picked up his third personal foul and a technical foul with 5:30 remaining in the first half. Breland recorded his second foul with 7:39 left in the half, and Hunnicutt registered his second foul at the 6:22 mark.

The Greyhounds led 23-20 when Hunnicutt and Elzy left the game, but ENMU almost literally limped into halftime, as Northeastern State scored the next 10 points. The Hounds earned the last four points of the half, when Montoya sank four free throws in the final 2:31. NSU owned a 30-27 advantage at the break.

Wallace scored the first basket of the second half, as the Greyhounds pulled within a single point, but NSU stayed in front by a three-point to a six-point margin until Ty Merchant sank a 3-pointer to give the Redmen a 43-36 lead with 14:19 on the clock. Hunnicutt scored next, then Rob Powell returned NSU to a seven-point advantage with a layup at 12:53.

Eastern went on a 10-2 run to take the lead, starting with a 3-pointer by Wallace and a pair of jump shots by Jamal Washington (Sr., G, Pomona, CA/Victor Valley College). The go-ahead 3-pointer by Breland set the stage for a tight finish.

Neither team led by more than two points the rest of the way until Breland connected on a basket with 3:10 left that gave Eastern a 58-54 edge. Merchant answered with a 3 point basket at the 2:26 mark. But Breland added another jump shot and Wallace tacked on a free throw, as ENMU claimed a 61-57 margin.

NSU moved within two points, 61-59, after a jumper by Shad Roome with 1:04 left. The Redmen never got closer in the final minute.

Hunnicutt and Breland were joined in double figures by Wallace, who contributed 13 points, seven assists and four steals. Austin scored six points and had three rebounds, while Montoya tallied six points and earned three assists. The Greyhounds shot 42.0% from the field (21 of 5), including just 3 of 11 three-pointers (27.3%), but hit 20 of 27 free throws (74.1%).

Shiloh Shores was Northeastern’s top scorer with 19 points. Shores also matched Hunnicutt for the game’s best rebounding performance with 11 boards. Powell recorded 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists for NSU, before fouling out with 1:32 to go. Roome also recorded seven rebounds for the Redmen.

NSU shot 48.0% in the second half (12 of 25), but went to the free throw line just five times during the period (3 of 5). ENMU was 10 of 14 at the free throw line in the second half. Northeastern finished 12 of 17 at the line during the game.

The Redmen converted 8 of 19 three-point attempts against ENMU, after hitting just 1 of 14 in a 73-46 loss at West Texas A&M on Jan. 6. Powell led the way with four trifectas.

ENMU will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 13 at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Game time for the LSC crossover game in Durant, Okla. is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST.