Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The Greyhounds open their second season under Tres Segler with a Nov. 1 exhibition at Arizona.
PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University's men's basketball team finished one win away from reaching the Lone Star Conference tournament last season.
This year, the Tres Segler-led Hounds return with a schedule that says they're trying to make the NCAA tournament.
Eastern opens its season with as tough a Division I exhibition as it gets, a Nov. 1 road date to face USA Today Preseason No. 1 Arizona. While the Greyhounds have faced Division I teams in exhibition play, this is the first time in program history the opponent is ranked No. 1.
"Every year we go into scheduling with excitement," Segler said in a school release. "We have been blessed this year with the opportunity to play Arizona in one of our exhibition games. We are extremely honored to go to Tucson to face the Wildcats."
Following that trip. the Greyhounds have three Division II neutral-site tournaments:
• Fort Lewis and New Mexico Highlands Nov. 10-11 in Albuquerque for the Lone Star Conference/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Challenge
• Dixie State and Azuza Pacific Nov. 17-18 at Western Oregon University
• St. Edward's and Dallas Baptist Nov. 24-25 in Austin, Texas
"I also wanted to increase our Division II games this year," Segler said. "We're excited to go to Albuquerque, the west coast and then Austin for three Division II classics.
"In order to make the NCAA Tournament, you need to play tough non-conference opponents. I'm excited about the opportunities that face us this year."
The Greyhounds make their home debut Nov. 30 against defending LSC champion Texas-Permian Basin, followed by a home date Dec. 2 against West Texas A&M.
"As always, the Lone Star Conference is shaping up to be the toughest DII league in the nation. The newcomers that have been signed around the league will once again make the LSC as talented as many smaller DI conferences. We're hopeful that our experienced returners will help our skilled newcomers adjust quickly to the physicality and the speed of the league. It's going to be a very exciting year."
The Greyhounds return six players from last season's 13-15 squad.
