SILVER CITY, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico men's basketball will go into the 2023 Lone Star Conference tournament after falling to Western New Mexico, 80-75, Thursday night.
The season finale for the Mustangs looked to be in their advantage as they held a 35-25 lead with 4:18 remaining in the first half, but the Hounds kept chipping at the deficit and headed into the locker down by just two points, 39-37.
ENMU tied the game three different times in the opening five minutes of the frame before holding a brief 46-45 lead with 14:06 left on the clock.
Strong shooting from behind the arc kept Western New Mexico in front of Eastern New Mexico for the next ten minutes as the lead grew to 69-59 with 5:08 in the second half.
Seven straight points from graduate transfer guard
Grehlon Easter brought the score to 71-66 with 2:22 on the scoreboard.
When asked about Easter, head coach
Brent Owen said he has "been playing really well."
The Mustangs and Greyhounds traded possessions and soon enough a
Jahcoree Ealy dunk and pair of Easter free throws had the contest at 72-70 with 1:25 remaining.
Five straight points from WNMU over the next minute helped carry the in-state foe to the 80-75 result.
"Our guys battled a tough team," said Owen after the game. "They celebrated really hard after the game because it was their last game of the year."
For Eastern New Mexico, it is not their last game of the season as the Hounds will enter next week's conference tournament with the No. 7 seed.
The Greyhounds will face the East Division winner which is still to be determined. The two contenders are St. Edward's and Texas A&M Kingsville.
ENMU opened conference play with a 91-63 loss against the Hilltoppers back on Dec. 1, 2022. The Greyhounds hold a victory against the Javelinas as they came away with a 73-65 result at home on Jan. 21, 2023.
"I wish we would have finished higher," said Owen on his team's ranking entering next week. "I like the fact that we are going to play a team from the East who we haven't already played twice."
Easter led the team with 20 points and three steals. His teammate
Errol White finished with 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Greyhounds defense forced 19 turnovers and controlled the battle in the paint, 34-24.
"In twelve years of coaching I have never coached a team that has played as hard as they did tonight," said Owen after the contest. "If we will play that hard and make a few more shots from the free throw line and the perimeter, we are capable of winning a championship."
Next Friday's game is set for March 3, 2023 in Frisco, Texas at the Comerica Center. Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and the Greyhounds will officially know its opponent this Saturday.
Tickets are available now.
More information on team hotel and Greyhound get-togethers in Frisco will be announced shortly.