ENMU basketball teams ready to tip off practice

It may be the middle of the football season, but basketball is just around the corner.

The Greyhounds and Zias are slated to begin practice for the 2012-13 campaign on Monday. The women have a 6 a.m. practice on tap at Greyhound Arena, while the men will go at 8 p.m.

Both teams qualified for the eight-team Lone Star Conference tournament last season, each losing in the quarterfinal round.

The men, under fourth-year coach Andrew Helton, expect 18 candidates for the start of practice, including six walk-ons and five returnees. Also returning is junior guard Jordan Romero of Sante Fe, who was redshirted last season.

The Hounds (14-14, 7-11 LSC a year ago) have no preseason exhibitions on tap, although they will have an in-season exhibition on Nov. 19 against University of the Southwest at Clovis High's Rock Staubus Gym.

"Our team is very hard-working," Helton said. "We're more athletic overall than last year, and a little smaller."

The Zias (10-17, 8-12), led by second-year coach Lindsey Wilson, have three walkons and five returnees on a 15-player roster that also includes Clovis High grad Ashlee Pierson, who spent her first season last year as a redshirt. The Zias have a Nov. 3 exhibition game on tap in Albuquerque against the University of New Mexico.

"We're going to be small; we're going to have to play fast," Wilson said. "We're smaller on the inside (than last year) and bigger on the outside."

The Hounds open the regular season against Texas A&M International on Nov. 10, with the home opener three nights later against Lubbock Christian. Meantime, the Zias kick off their season on Nov. 9 at Oklahoma Panhandle State, with the home opener set for Nov. 24 against Wayland Baptist.