UTPB notches tight wins over Hounds

ODESSA, Texas – Six-foot-8 senior post Lathaniel Bastian notched his sixth consecutive double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds as Texas-Permian Basin held on late to edge Eastern New Mexico University 79-76 in Lone Star Conference men’s basketball on Thursday night, handing the Greyhounds their first LSC setback of the campaign.

Juniors Maison Adeleye and Alex Matthews added 17 and 12 points, respectively, for the Falcons (9-3, 4-2 LSC), who took a double-digit lead after going on a 16-4 run late in the opening half. It’s the third-best start in the relatively short history of the UTPB program.

Senior guard Greg Johnson scored 18 points off the bench for the Hounds (8-3, 4-1), while junior forward Mario Whiley went 6-for-8 from the floor and posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard/forward Jahcoree Ealy added 16 points and senior guard Lyron Bennett finished with 10 for ENMU, which had its six-game winning streak snapped.

Ealy and Bennett each played 37 minutes for the Hounds, while Whitley clocked 33.

Permian Basin’s run turned a two-point deficit into a 25-15 lead with just under eight minutes left in the half, but the Hounds closed the stanza on a 7-1 charge to pull to 38-35 at the intermission.

In the second half, the Falcons kept the lead much of the way, but could never deliver a knockout blow. ENMU led 52-51 after a layup by Ealy with 13:34 left and managed to tie it four times after that, but Bastian’s layup put UTPB in front for good 74-72 with 1:18 to play.

Two free throws by Johnson pulled the Hounds within 75-74 with 29 seconds to go. After two free throws by UTPB junior Zy Wright, Whitley converted a dunk with three seconds remaining.

Matthews added a pair of free throws with two seconds left, then stole the inbounds pass to seal the Hounds’ fate as the Falcons improved to 7-0 at home this season.

Matthews shot just 1-for-10 from the floor in the contest, but was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line.

ENMU played at No. 11 Angelo State on Saturday. The Hounds return to Greyhound Arena to begin a four-game homestand against Cameron on Thursday night and Midwestern State on Saturday.

UTPB 59, ENMU women 57 – In another tightly-contested contest, the Falcons tied the best 11-game start in program history and posted their first win over the Greyhounds since Jan. 11, 2020.

Senior forward Kamryn Lemon and junior guard Andreea Mancha scored 15 points each for UTPB (9-2, 4-1 LSC), while sophomore forward Morgan Helgesen added 12. Lemon went 8-for-8 from the foul line and now has 1,010 points as a collegian.

Freshman guard Jaz Salon matched a season-best with 21 points for ENMU (4-7, 0-5), including five 3-pointers.

Leading 12-11, the Falcons went on a 10-0 run to lead by 11 midway through the second frame. The Hounds, though, ended the half on a 14-6 charge to close to 28-25 at the break.

Two free throws by Lemon put UTPB in front 57-55 with 1:55 left, then sophomore Makayla Bingley’s putback made it a four-point game with 1:13 to go.

Senior Deja Adrian scored for ENMU with 20 seconds left. The Hounds got it back after Mancha missed two free throws, but Salon’s 3-point shot with five seconds left was off the mark and a rebound try by junior forward Ishuana Hunter wouldn’t go as time ran out.

ENMU had won the previous four games in the series and now has a 10-4 advantage all-time against the Falcons.

The Hounds played at Angelo State on Saturday. They begin a four-game homestand with tilts on Thursday against Cameron and on Saturday against Midwestern State.