Hounds throttle St. Ed's

Last year, Junior Hodnett played mostly a bit role for the Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team.

Suffice it to say, that's changed this season. Hodnett, a sophomore guard from Rio Rancho, is delivering key points – mainly from the 3-point line – and has helped the Greyhounds get off to a solid start.

He was one of six players in double digits on Thursday night as the Hounds (3-2) opened Lone Star Conference play with a 103-70 rout of St. Edward's at Greyhound Arena.

Hodnett scored 15 points, shooting 5-of-7 from 3-point distance. For the season, he's netted 45 points highlighted by a 13-for-22 (59 percent) performance from beyond the arc.

Four of the trifectas came in the first half as ENMU transformed a 28-26 deficit with just over seven minutes left in the segment into a 51-37 advantage at the break.

"When Junior started making 3s, that's when we started to separate (from the Hilltoppers)," ENMU coach Brent Owen said. "When we make shots, we can beat anybody in the country (in NCAA Division II), in my opinion."

Senior guard/forward Jahcoree White led a balanced attack with 16 points, 14 in the first half. Sophomore forward Blazej Czerniewicz added 14 points, senior point guard Lyron Bennett and 7-foot-3 freshman center Conrad Luczynski chipped in 12 apiece and sophomore forward Jose Murrillo had 10.

All 10 Hounds who played scored at least four points. ENMU's reserves outscored St. Ed's subs 54-7.

"I was really encouraged by the offense," Owen said. "Obviously, we shot the ball well (38-of-73 overall, 12-of-21 from distance), and I just think we're hard to beat when we shoot like that."

He was also pleased with the defensive work against the Hilltoppers, who came in averaging 83.3 ppg.

"St. Ed's is one of the best offensive teams in the league," Owen said. "To hold a team like that to 70 points is really something."

Despite the high pace of play, both teams limited their turnovers – nine for ENMU, 11 for the Hilltoppers (5-3). But ENMU compiled 27 assists, and held St. Edward's to just 35 percent from the floor.

Junior guard Gavino Ramos topped four players in double figures for St. Ed's with a game-high 25 points. The Hounds limited 6-8 sophomore forward Sean Elkington, the LSC freshman of the year in 2022-23, to 15 points, with 7-foot-3 freshman Conrad Luczynski, 7-foot freshman forward Jaxon Koroll and the 6-9 Murrillo taking turns defending him.

"Our plan was to wear him down, and all three of our guys did a good job," Owen said.

It marked the second time this season that ENMU has gone over 100 points in a game, and was the ninth-highest total in program history.

St. Edward's 73, ENMU 62 (women) – The Hilltoppers took the lead for good on a 3-point play by senior forward Jayda Ruffus-Milner just over four minutes into the contest and went on to lead by 19 early in the final stanza.

Senior guard Lauren Catherman scored 20 points and freshman forward Bailey Featherstone added 19 for St. Ed's (2-3). Senior guards Ashley Shipley and Vanessa Oduah scored 16 points each while freshman guard Alecia Whyte tossed in 11 for the Greyhounds (4-3).

"I know it's still early, but that's LSC basketball," Hilltoppers coach J.J. Riehl said of a relatively sluggish first half, which ended with St. Ed's leading 29-25. "I think early in the year, teams aren't as good at reading and reacting to defenses."

Whyte scored five consecutive points, capped by a 3-point play, for a 7-6 lead before Ruffus-Milner counted 40 seconds later with her and-1. The game stayed close through the half, but St. Ed's posted the first five points of the third stanza and led by double digits over the final 15 minutes.

"I think foul trouble probably hampered both teams," Riehl said. "I think our kids did a good job of figuring things out in the third and fourth quarters."

ENMU seemed hesitant to shoot at times until Oduah got going in the second half. Meantime, Shipley had three 3-pointers in the contest and scored 10 of her points in the final stanza.

"Ship stepped up late and made some shots," first-year ENMU coach Blake Huber said. "I think for the most part (Oduah) took good shots. We just missed too many bunnies, and that's deflating."

While the Hilltoppers shot 49 percent on 26-of-53, ENMU was limited to 38 percent from the field (23-of-60). St. Ed's also owned a 43-30 edge on the glass and had a 40-26 advantage in paint points.

"We missed so many point-blank opportunities," Huber said. "They just lived at the free throw line and in the paint."

Both ENMU squads hosted St. Mary's on Saturday. This week, they hit the road to face Texas-Tyler on Thursday and Dallas Baptist on Saturday.