TAMU-Commerce Rallies Past Greyhounds, 97-90
Miller Scores 17 Points in Under 3:00 Late in Game;
ENMU Places Five Players in Double Figures

Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. — Eastern New Mexico University, playing with just six healthy scholarship players and three walk-ons, led nationally-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce, 82-71, with 6:11 remaining, in a Lone Star Conference South Division game, at Greyhound Arena on Jan. 20. TAMU-Commerce, ranked #13 in NCAA Division II, rallied behind Jermart Miller, who sank four 3-pointers, three free throws and a jump shot in a 2:40 span that began with 5:27 left in the game, as the Lions rallied for a 97-90 win.

ENMU place all five starters in double figures. Senior forward Jamaal Hunnicutt (Amarillo, TX/Hill JC) led the way with 20 points. Hunnicutt also hauled down seven rebounds and earned three assists.

Jason Breland (Jr., G, Los Angeles, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) added 19 points, while Reggie Wallace (Jr., G, Pasadena, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) tallied 18 points and eight assists. Jolen Montoya (Jr., G, Cordova, NM/Neosho County CC) scored 17 points, to go with five assists and four rebounds. Senior forward Edmound Elzy (Victorville, CA/Barstow CC) chipped in 12 points and six boards.

The Greyhounds trailed 11-5 early, but took a 29-28 lead after two free throws by Wallace with 8:05 left in the first half. ENMU stayed in front the rest of the period and held a 50-43 edge on the Lions at halftime. Breland recorded 15 points in the first half, while Wallace added 12. Matt Rager led TAMU-Commerce at the break with 11 points.

Rager scored 18 points on the night for the Lions, but gave up scoring honors to Miller, who finished with 29 points following his 17-point surge late in the game. Chris Fantroy put in 14 points and Allen Walker connected for 10 points.

Jonathan Hopkins opened the second half with a 3-pointer for A&M-C, as the Lions pulled within 50-46. Hunnicutt put in a basket for ENMU at the other end, and the teams exchanged points for several minutes. Eastern eventually increased its advantage to 68-59 when Elzy sank two free throws with 13:28 left and Montoya nailed a 3-pointer at the 13:00 mark.

ENMU led by 12 points, 76-64, following a layup by Hunnicutt with 10:11 remaining. The Greyhounds continued to hold a solid lead, 82-71, after Montoya scored on a layup with 6:11 on the clock. Miller’s offensive onslaught came next, as the junior guard dominated the next three minutes to send Commerce into the lead.

First, he sank a 3-pointer with 5:27 to go, then added three free throws when he was fouled on another 3-point attempt with 4:54 left. Elzy dropped in a 3-pointer for ENMU, giving the Hounds an 86-77 lead at the 4:39 mark, but Miller canned another trifecta 13 seconds later. He also scored from outside the arc with 3:57 remaining.

Hunnicutt sank one of two free throws about half a minute later, then Miller drilled his sixth three-pointer of the evening with 3:17 to play, as TAMU-Commerce pulled within a single point. On the Lions’ next possession, Miller scored on a jumper, giving A&M-C an 88-87 lead.

The Greyhounds tied the game on a free throw by Hunnicutt at the 2:33 mark, and the teams also were tied, 90-90, with 2:17 left. Commerce took the lead for good, 92-90, on a jump shot by Walker as the clock entered the final minute. Nick Goellner made three of four free throws and Walker sank two charity shots the rest of the way for the Lions.

A&M-C shot 55.6% for the game (35 of 63), including 63.0% (17 of 27) in the second half. Miller was 6 of 8 on 3-pointers, as the Lions went 12 of 24 from the behind the 3-point line. Eastern converted 52.6% from the field (30 of 57), but fell from 56.3% in the first half (18 of 32) to 48.0% in the second half (12 of 25). ENMU was 7 of 23 from 3-point range.

Eastern achieved an edge at the free throw line by connecting on 23 of 29 shots (79.3%). A&M-C had fewer attempts, but still hit 15 of 17 (88.2%) from the charity stripe. Commerce held a 33-27 rebounding margin, led by Goellner with seven boards.

ENMU will play at Greyhound Arena again on Saturday, Jan. 22, when the Greyhounds host Midwestern State University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST.