PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico men's basketball is back! Head coach
Brent Owen and the Greyhounds host two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) teams at home this weekend. Before ENMU begins the 2023-24 campaign, please take a look at the Starting Five:
1.) Build On 2022-23: The 2022-23 season proved to be one of the best years for Eastern New Mexico men's basketball for quite a while. With the momentum rolling into another year, the Greyhounds are aiming for more success. Over the last year, ENMU earned a bid to the LSC tournament for the first time since 2019. The program tallied twelve wins inside Greyhound Arena and had six different players earn recognition from the league. Eastern averaged 74.3 points per game and only surrendered 70.3 per contest. Two Hound returnees averaged double figures –
Jahcoree Ealy and
Greg Johnson. With a tied for sixth finish in league play in 2022-23, ENMU is eager for more.
2.) Experience Matters: One year ago, the team had just three returners from the prior squad. This season
Brent Owen's team has seven student-athletes back with four of them earning all-LSC honors. Two of those players are
Jose Murillo and
Błażej Czerniewicz who were on the conference's all-freshmen team. Murillo will be the "go-to" player in the paint and has an additional task as he mentors a pair of freshmen big-men in
Conrad Luczynski and
Jaxon Koroll. Czerniewicz is coming off a year with 29 appearances and even starts. He was one of the hottest shooters for the program as he connected on 63-of-136 (46.3%) from the floor.
3.) In-State Action: The first game of the weekend will feature New Mexico Highlands. The Cowboys come into the year after going 11-17 a year ago. Three key returners for NMHU include Ezichi Kalu, Tyler Rodgers, and TJ Sanchez. Kalu led the RMAC with 40 blocks last season. The Cowboys have played two exhibition games this fall. The first was a 94-65 loss to Arizona and the second was a 86-73 loss to New Mexico. AC Curry led the team in points for both contests. Head coach Michael Dominguez has led the team to three-straight double-digit win finishes.
4.) Tough Test Ahead: It won't take long for ENMU to take on a top-25 foe as Fort Lewis comes into Portales as the number 15 team in the nation. The Skyhawks are led by Bob Pietrack who took the team to a 29-4 finish in 2022-23. FLC earned a trip to the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament and want to continue that success by opening the weekend in the Land of Enchantment. Fort Lewis brings in Amondo Miller Jr. (Colorado), Samier Kinsler (West Virginia State), Malik Whitaker (West Virginia State), and Jhei-R Jones (Kaskaskia College) from other institutions after losing all five starters. FLC has won their only exhibition this fall as they beat Haskell Indian Nations University, 119-55.
5.) $100 Winner: Saturday night, Eastern New Mexico men's basketball is giving away $100 at every media timeout. With eight opportunities to win, fans are encouraged to bring the whole family to Greyhound Arena. Fans will enter the giveaway at the entrance of Greyhound Arena and will wait for their number to be called. If it is called, the winner walks away with $100.
