Portales, NM -  Eastern New Mexico returns home after back-to-back conference wins last weekend on the road as they welcome Lubbock Christian and Angleo State to the Greyhound Arena. 

This week they welcome Lubbock Christian into the Greyhound arena on Thursday, Jan. 16th at 7:30 p.m. where Eastern New Mexico is presenting First Responder\Military Appreciate night presented by NMDOT. Military personnel and first responders with valid I.D. along with their dependents will be granted free admission to both men's and women's games on Jan. 16^th

The Hounds will welcome  Angelo State on Saturday, Jan. 18th at 4:00 p.m. for the annual Green Out Game sponsored by Combs Properties. Eastern New Mexico will also be announcing new Athletic Director hire Matt Billings during halftime of the women's basketball game set to tip-off at 2:00 p.m.

LAST WEEK
The Hounds had no issues leaving Silver City with a win as they lead for over 90 percent of the game last Thursday against Western New Mexico, securing a 81-71 victory for their third straight win over the Mustangs. Senior Deng Kuany impressed on the floor as he set a new season high with 22 points, going 6-for-9 from the field and added eight free throws to the effort as well. Kuany recorded his second highest rebound mark of the year with seven, and set a new season high with four steals.

 In their next contest the Hounds traveled to Odessa, Texas to face UT Permian Basin. The Hounds produced their second highest point total of the season thanks to four different players reaching double-digit point totals, leading to a 100-97 victory. The Greyhounds also dominated UT Permian Basin on the boards, out-rebounding the Falcons 35-28 and calculated 24 defensive boards. Eastern totaled their second highest team free throw shooting percentage in the contest, connecting on 22-of-26 free-throw attempts for a final percentage of 84.6 percent.

Junior Devin Pullum totaled a season-high 26 points for the contest thanks in large part to six made three pointers throughout the contest. The guard from Little Elm, Texas also grabbed three steals and five defensive rebounds. Junior Brandon Meadows was also effective from long range in route to a career high 16 points, connecting on 4-of-6 from beyond the three-point line. Senior Isaiah Murphy finished the night with 14 points while junior Jose Serrano was the fourth Hound to score double-digits with 13 points. 

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION 

Lubbock Christian 
Lubbock Christian was picked seventh in the LSC preseason poll entering their first season in the Lone Star Conference. The Chaps were selected to the South Central Regional Tournament a season ago with a regular season record of 21-10 last season, their best mark since transitioning into the Division II level. Head coach Todd Duncan is in his ninth season as head coach at Lubbock Christian and enters this weekend with a career record of 146-99. 

The Chaps began the year 0-2 in LSC play before rattling off four straight wins over Tarleton State, Cameron, Midwestern State and Western New Mexico. Lubbock Christian played just once last weekend, falling at home to rival Angelo State by a 73-71 final score.  Lloyd Daniels, transfer from Murray State College, leads the team averaging 12.9 points a game. Daniels has posted 15 or more points in six different games and is shooting 52.4 percent (65-of-124) from the field. Parker Hicks, 6'6 junior transfer from Texas Tech, is averaging 6.3 rebounds a game and 9.9 points per contest. Hicks posted a double-double against Western New Mexico at the start of the new year and has scored ten points or more in seven matchups. 

Angelo State
Cinco Boone enters his fifth season as head coach at Angelo State, amassing a record of 182-66 over that time span and is coming off another South Central Regional Tournament appearance.The Rams enter this weekend ranked fourth in the lastest D2CCA South Central Regional Polls after beginning the season ranked fifth in the LSC Preseason Poll.Angelo State's lone two losses came in back-to-back contests on Dec. 7th and Dec. 19th against #19 Dallas Baptist and Midwestern State. The Rams have since reeled off four straight wins and have yet to surrender over 80 points throughout that four game winning streak.

Senior Collin Turner leads the team with 16.7 points a game and has totaled 27 and 21 points in the last two games for the Rams. Senior Jeremy Hayes leads the Rams averaging 16.4 points per game this season. Hayes has totaled 10 or more points in every single game this season for Angelo State.Senior Andres Ibarguen will attempt to control the paint for the Rams and is currently averaging 11.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest. He ranks second in the LSC in average rebounds per game and has recorded four double-doubles so far this season. 

DOMINATING THE GLASS
The Hounds moved up in the ranking following last weekends wins as they sit in the fifth spot among LSC teams for total rebounds. The Hounds are averaging 36.8 rebounds a game with a total of 478 this season. Leading the Hounds on the glass is junior Yosnier Cobas, who averages 6.2 rebounds a game and has grabbed 80 total this season. Right behind Cobas is Meadows, who has totaled 52 rebounds this season for an average of 4.0 per game. 

MOVING ON UP
After last weekend's back-to-back wins the Hounds have moved up to the number three spot in the Lone Star Conference with a team three-point shooting percentage of 38.1 percent. Three Hounds are shooting 50.0 percent or more from beyond the arc with junior Garrick Sherrod leading the pack at 66.7 percent. Meadows has connected on 13-of-17 three-pointers giving him a 64.7 percent for the season while Kuany sits at 50.0 percent, going 4-for 8 from beyond the arc. Lubbock Christian is currently ranked first with a 39.5 percent (122-of-309) while Angelo State is 15th in the league with a 32.3 percent (95-of-294) mark. 

STARTING HOUNDS
After his season high 26 points last weekend against UT Permain Basin, Pullum currently leads the Hounds in scoring, averaging 13.8 points a game. Last weekend was the fourth time Pullum has posted 20 or more points a game this season. The junior guard from Little Elm, Texas is also leading the Hounds in both assists (29) and steals (17). Yosnier Cobas has been the consistent post presence for the Hounds all season long, leading the squad in both total rebounding (80) and blocked shots (13). 

Ibn Zaid, junior transfer, is a steady figure on the court showing maturity as the starting guard for the Hounds. Zaid has posted ten or more points in two separate occasions, including 17 points in the Hound win over Oklahoma Christian. Kuany has emerged as a difference maker for Eastern New Mexico and is coming off his best weekend of the season, scoring 22 points at Western New Mexico. Kuany is a leader among the Hounds averaging 6.3 rebounds a contest and figures to work his way into the starting lineup this weekend.  Murphy has played in all 13 games this season and is averaging 7.7 points per game, 2.7 rebounds and has dished out 16 assists this season. 

A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS
This weekend's games against Lubbock Christian and Angelo State couldn't be more important for Eastern New Mexico as last weekend's wins against divisional rivals Western New Mexico and UT Permian Basin moved the Hounds right back into the mix of the divisional standings. The Hounds will enter the weekend tied with Lubbock Christian with an in-divisional record of 2-2 and currently sit two games behind Angelo State and West Texas A&M, who enter with records of 4-0. Angelo State and West Texas A&M will play each either on Thursday evening prior to the Saturday meeting against the Hounds, opening the possibility that Eastern could jump into solo second place in the divisional standings with two wins this weekend. Wins in four out of their last five conference games has pushed the Hound's LSC record to 5-3 for the season.