PORTALES, N.M. – Following its second NCAA Tournament berth in three seasons, the Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team looks to continue its recent success. ENMU Head Coach Josh Prock has announced the 2019-20 game schedule Tuesday afternoon which includes a tough exhibition slate and 28 regular season games, with 12 taking place in rowdy Greyhound Arena.
The Greyhounds finished the 2018-19 campaign with a 19-11 overall record and a 14-6 mark in Lone Star Conference play while posting an impressive 12-1 record inside Greyhound Arena, setting the best home record in the program's 45-year history.
Eastern returns one of the most versatile post players in the LSC in Alivia Lewis. The 6'2, Albuquerque, N.M. native averaged 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, which ranked second and third respectively amongst conference competitors. The second leading scorer for the Hounds last season, Zamorye Cox looks to improve off her stellar freshman campaign. The Portales High School standout averaged 9.6 points per game and showed an aptitude to create for her teammates dishing out 3.6 assists per contest.
The Hounds will be tested early as they take on three NCAA Division I schools with exhibition games against UTEP, Arizona and the University of New Mexico.
"We are excited about our schedule for the upcoming 2019-20 campaign," said Prock. "As always, we start off the season with very challenging games versus three Division I opponents in UTEP, Arizona and University of New Mexico. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to play all three of them and look forward to the challenge of playing them."
ENMU's regular season will begin on the road in Durango, Colorado to compete at the LSC/RMAC Conference Challenge. Eastern faces New Mexico Highlands on Friday, Nov. 8 and will finish with tourney host Fort Lewis the following day.
"We have been able to put a non-conference schedule that will challenge our team and it will get us ready for the brutally tough Lone Star Conference," Prock added. "Our goal is to put a schedule together that allows us the opportunity to compete for an NCAA Tournament berth and we believe we have done just that."
The Greyhounds conference opener is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 23 against rival West Texas A&M at 1 p.m. inside First United Bank Center. The Green and Silver return to Canyon, Texas the following week as they compete in the WT Pak-A-Sak Thanksgiving Classic, taking on Adams State Friday, Nov. 29 and CSU-Pueblo on Saturday, Nov. 30.
ENMU fans can get their first look at the team on Thursday, Dec. 5 when the Greyhounds host Northern New Mexico, at 11 a.m. in the home opener. Children from several local schools will be an attendance as the game will also be the program's sixth annual Youth Day Game.
"We are looking forward to Dec. 5 to play at home in Greyhound Arena," said Prock. "It will be our annual Youth Day and it is always a fun atmosphere for our players. As indicated by last year's home record of 12-1, we could not do that without the great Greyhound fans. We greatly appreciate all the students, faculty and staff of Eastern New Mexico and all the local supporters we have for providing us with a tremendous home court atmosphere."
The 2020 Lone Star Conference Tournament is scheduled to take place in Frisco, TX. Mar. 5-6 at Dr. Pepper Arena. The NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championship will take place on Mar. 13-16 with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight on Mar. 24-26.
