Hounds set season scoring high in rout

It took Eastern New Mexico University's men a while to get going Thursday night. You'd never know it by the final result.

Playing again without the services of senior guard/forward and Lone Star Conference scoring leader Jahcoree Ealy, the Greyhounds went crazy after scoring only four points in the first seven minutes on 1-of-13 shooting, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range. Down 19-6 nine minutes in, ENMU tallied an astonishing 84 points in 23 minutes to turn a 10-point deficit into a 110-79 blowout over Oklahoma Christian at Greyhound Arena.

It was a season scoring high for the Hounds, and the ninth time they've reached the 100-point barrier.

Only nine players were active for ENMU, but seven reached double digits. And the other two, sophomore forward Jose Murillo and sophomore guard Niko Bossinakis, each finished with six points.

"It was pretty incredible," ENMU men's coach Brent Owen acknowledged. "Oklahoma Christian was leading the league in defensive field goal percentage."

ENMU (16-9, 12-7 LSC) shot 50 percent from the floor in each half, going 15-of-34 from distance and converting 21-of-28 free throws. The Hounds also outrebounded the Oklahoma City-based Eagles 55-35.

Senior guard Greg Johnson led the way with 24 points in 26 minutes, while sophomore guard Junior Hodnett added 18 off the bench and junior guard Tre'Von Love posted his first double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior guards Limon Bennett and Jason Holman and junior forward Mario Whitley all had 11 points, while 7-foot-3 freshman center Conrad Luczynski notched 10 points and nine rebounds.

"We shoot the ball well at home," Owen said. "I was nervous at the beginning (with the slow start), but I kept telling the guys, 'The (proverbial) lid (on the basket) will eventually come off.'"

The lanky 6-7 Ealy, averaging 21.3 ppg in 19 games, missed four contests earlier this month due to an NCAA inquiry, then played in road tilts last week against West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian before sitting this one out.

"He's sitting out as an abundance of caution," Owen said of the OC tilt, adding that Ealy was unlikely to play in Saturday's home matchup against Arkansas-Fort Smith. "It's very frustrating."

Still, the Hounds have plenty of scoring options.

"Jahcoree's not a great 3-point shooter," Owen said. "When he's out, we're typically adding a 3-point shooter.

"It's really what he gives us on the defensive end that makes a difference. I'm proud of the guys for showing that we're a good team with or without him."

For OC (12-14, 9-11), 6-10 junior center Jovan Savac led three in double figures with 14 points off the bench, while senior guard Moun'tae Edmundson had 12 and freshman guard Miles Gibson 10. All 12 Eagles scored in the game, with no one on either side playing more than Edmundson's 31 minutes.

The Hounds are currently third in the West Division and tied for fourth with St. Edward's in the overall LSC standings, two games behind third-place Lubbock Christian. They own tie-breakers over both, however, having swept LCU while posting a 103-70 win at home over the Hilltoppers.

After Saturday's games, ENMU ends the regular season with home-and-home outings against Western New Mexico, facing the Mustangs at Greyhound Arena on Thursday and in Silver City on Saturday.

Oklahoma Christian 59, ENMU 58 (women) – The Greyhounds had just a sliver of a chance to still make the LSC postseason tournament, but that opportunity went by the wayside when Eagles sophomore forward Taylor Jackson turned an offensive rebound into a game-winning 3-point play with one second left, capping an OC comeback from a 14-point, second-half deficit.

Jackson led four players in double digits for the Eagles (5-19, 4-16) with 13 points, followed by junior forward Jordan Francisco and junior guard Kate Bradley with 11 apiece and junior guard Nakia Cullom with 10.

Senior guard/forward Deja Adrian paced ENMU (8-17, 4-15) with 21 points, while freshman guard Jaz Salon shot 6-of-9 and made all four of her 3s for 16. Junior forward Ishuana Hunter posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards, and also had team bests with four assists and two blocks.

OC (5-19, 4-16 LSC), which had lost 15 of its previous 17 coming in, hit five of its first six shots, including a pair of 3-pointers Bradley, and opened a 14-4 lead with under three minutes left in the opening stanza. The Hounds countered, though, taking the lead on a basket by Adrian early in the second period and never relinquishing it until late.

Salon's 3 capped a 30-6 run for a 14-point lead just before halftime, but the Eagles scored eight unanswered to pull to 38-32 early in the third. The Hounds led 53-48 after a basket by Adrian with 8:02 to go, but managed only a 3 by Salon and Adrian's go-ahead bucket with 8 seconds left, making it 58-56.

Jackson rebounded senior guard Asiyha Smith's miss and converted, then added the free throw. Adrian's desperation 3 was off the mark as time expired.