Saturday, January 13, 2018

WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS —After erasing a nine-point deficit at the end of the first half, the Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team (7-9; LSC 2-5) came back from a 10-point second-half deficit. Saturday night's wild Lone Star Conference game at D.L. Ligon Coliseum saw 18 lead changes and 13 tie scores. Midwestern State (6-11; LSC 3-5) overcame an 18-point effort from Zach Parker to hand the Greyhounds a heartbreaking 89-87 setback.

The Hounds narrowly missed extending their win streak to four games. Eastern also nearly swept their two-game LSC road trip after Thursday's dramatic win at Cameron. In addition to being ENMU's top scorer, Parker rejected five shots, the second most in a game for the Hounds since at least the 2000-01 season.

Inside the Series

• The setback moved ENMU to 14-33 in the series against MSU with a 6-16 road record
• The contest marked the second straight season which the teams played to overtime at least once

Beyond the Box Score

• ENMU shot a season-best 50 percent (12-24) outside the three-point arc
• Eastern's .773 free-throw percentage was third best for the season
• The Hounds blocked a season-high nine shots, their most since rejecting nine against Texas A&M-Kingsville on February 5, 2014
• The teams combined for 15 free throws in overtime

 
The Key Runs

• Facing a 31-22 deficit with 3:47 left in the first half, Shawn Shelton hit a jumper for ENMU
• The Hounds closed the half on a 9-0 run and headed to halftime with a tie score
• With 8:49 left in the second half, Eastern trailed 55-45
• Maurice Coleman hit a trey to ignite an 18-6 ENMU run over the ensuing 4:08 of play
• Parker closed the run with a fastbreak three-pointer of his own to give the Hounds a 63-61 lead with 4:19 left
• Three Brandon Neel free throws staked MSU to a 71-67 lead a with just 43 seconds left in regulation, but Lamarquis Thompson drained a three-point bucket to pull the Hounds within one
• Midwestern State's Devante Pullum hit two free throws with 31 seconds left for a three-point lead, but Thompson answered with another trey with 15 on the clock to force overtime
• The overtime session saw seven lead changes, with the Mustangs taking the lead for the final time on a Devante Pullum layup with 1:21 left

 
In the Numbers

• The Mustangs held a 21-3 edge in second-chance points and a 17-3 lead in points off turnovers
• ENMU converted on 17 of their 22 free throw attempts
• Thompson finished with 16 points and seven rebounds
• Devin Pullum had 12 points, four assists and three steals
• Arcaim Lallemand finished with 11 points, eight boards, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal
• Maurice Coleman chipped in 11 points, four assists and a steal
• Neel paced MSU with 23 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals

 
Up Next

• The Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team will return to Greyhound Arena on Thursday, January 18, to host Texas A&M-Kingsville
• The game is sponsored by Bender Family of Dealerships, Clovis and will tip off at 12 p.m. MT
• The contest is also ENMU's Kids Day