Hounds claim third win

Freedom New Mexico

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Junior guard Marquis Ruffin scored a season-best 19 points and Eastern New Mexico University overcame a 10-point, first-half deficit to beat New Mexico Highlands 80-65 Monday night in men’s college basketball.

ENMU (3-7), which snapped a six-game losing streak, had only seven players in uniform. But all seven scored at least six points and five finished the night in double figures.

Kevin Davis had 15 points for the Greyhounds, while guard Justin Redman-Trotter posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. All of Redman-Trotter’s rebounds came on the defensive end.

Guard Jamaal McCoy added 11 points and forward Kendall Clark finished with 10. Meantime, Ruffin had five of the team’s 15 assists.

Senior guard Leo Ural shot 11-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, to lead all scorers with 26 points for the winless Cowboys (0-11), who have lost 17 in a row dating to last season. Senior guard Steven Shanks added 12 points for NMHU, while sophomore guard David Omoghan finished with 10.

The teams exchanged the lead through most of the first 10 minutes before Highlands went on a 14-6 run capped by a Steve Sanchez 3-pointer for a 35-25 margin with less than five minutes left in the half.

Highlands still led by eight with three minutes left after a basket by Ural, but the Hounds closed the stanza on a 7-1 run to pull within four at halftime.

The Cowboys stayed on top until Davis’ basket with 11:19 to go put ENMU in front 52-51, and the Hounds never relinquished the lead. Highlands was still within three after a free throw by Omoghan with 6 1/2 minutes left, but managed only seven points the rest of the way.

ENMU shot 52 percent in each half while the Cowboys, who were 7-of-11 from 3-point range and 15-of-27 overall in the opening period, went just 9-for-29 from the field in the final 20 minutes.

The Hounds do not play again until Dec. 29 when they visit Lubbock Christian for a 1 p.m. (MST) contest.