Saturday, January 17, 2015
                                                                                                                
SAN ANGELO, TEXAS — Junior guard John Gilliam (San Bernardino, Calif./Upland HS/Chaffey College) stepped to the free throw line a season high 16 times, but the Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team (7-10; LSC 0-4) dropped a 112-81 decision to Angelo State (15-1; LSC 3-0) in Lone Star Conference action, Saturday at the Junell Center. Gilliam poured in 22 points, to reach the 20-point mark for the fifth time, this season.
 
With the loss, the Greyhounds have won three of five meetings. The teams split the season series in 2013-14, with each team winning at home. Angelo State ranked tenth in the latest Divison II Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA.
 
The Rams opened the scoring with Mayfield's three-point bucket 15 seconds into the game and charged to a 9-2 advantage. The Hounds managed to pull within five points on a short jumper from Gilliam, but ASU responded with nine straight points to seize an 18-4 advantage with 14:55 left in the opening half. A three-point play from Gilliam, followed by a jumper from Michael Randle (Sr., G, Houston, Texas / James Madison HS / Paris JC) trimmed the deficit to single digits, 18-9, with 13:54 on the clock. Angelo State followed with a 10-0 run, capped by a DeQuavious Wagner trey, to extend their advantage to 28-9, with 12:32 left in the half.
 
Chris Wyms (Jr., G, Carson, Calif. / King Drew Medical Magnet HS / Cerritos College) drained a pair of free throws with 11:59 on the clock to ignite a 12-4 Greyhound run, with ENMU closing to within 32-21 on a pair of Gilliam free throws. After the teams traded baskets down the stretch, ASU held a 46-32 lead with 4:52 left in the half. Demetrius Balark (Jr., G, Glendale, Ariz./Raymond S. Kellis HS/Cochise College) hit a three-point basket followed by a Jacob Straley (Sr., F, Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly HS/San Diego Christian College) jumper, which pulled Eastern to within nine points. The Hounds could come no closer as the Rams pulled away for the win.
 
Angelo State held a 63.9-41.4 edge in shooting percentage and a 39-23 lead in rebounding. Wyms poured in 17 points, while Balark added 10 points. Gilliam grabbed a team-high five rebounds and dished out six assists. Raijon Kelly paced Angelo State with 22 points, five boards and four assists.
The Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team will visit Texas A&M-Commerce on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT.