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Feb. 4, 2009

Box Score

CANYON, Texas – Four Buffaloes reached double-digit scoring totals as West Texas A&M defeated Eastern New Mexico, 69-47, Wednesday night at the First United Bank Center.

The win lifts WTAMU to 14-7 overall, 4-2 in LSC South play, while ENMU falls to 4-17, 0-6 LSC South.

The teams engaged in a tight, physical battle during the first half. Consecutive short jumpers by post Fabrice Tafo gave the Buffs a 12-7 lead with just over seven minutes gone in the game. After jumper by ENMU’s Justin Reynolds cut the lead to three points, Buff guard Clint McFall hit a three-pointer to give the Buffs a six-point cushion at 15-9.

Guard Nick Burns then followed another Greyhound bucket with his first three-pointer of the evening to give the Buffs a 19-11 lead.

A nice entry feed from Kyle Shields to Bijan Dotson gave the Buffs a 23-14 lead with 5:33 to play in the first half. A pair of free throws by Justin Johnson upped the lead the largest to that point at 25-14, with 5:14 remaining. The Buff defense played a big part in the surge. When ENMU’s Gerald Brown was called for a charge at the five minute mark, it was the 11th Greyhound turnover to that point.

The Buffs held a 29-15 lead at the half, with those 15 Greyhound points being the fewest points the Buffs have allowed in a half this season.

“ENMU destroyed us on the boards in the first half,” said WT head coach Rick Cooper. “Fortunately, we did a much better job of competing in the second half."

WT kept the pressure up in the second half. A Justin Johnson running-jumper got the Buffs started, then Shields found Dotson inside for an easy bucket to put WT up 33-17. ENMU’s Donovan Schultz’ three-pointer at 17:45 pulled the ‘Hounds back to within 13 points.

Following a Buff offensive rebound, Burns hit another three-pointer, this off a feed from Ben Doherty, to push WT’s lead to 16, at 38-22, with just over 15 minutes left in the game. After an ENMU turnover, Burns hit another trey, giving the Buffs a 19-point advantage.

After the Buffs opened a 43-22 lead, the Greyhounds narrowed the margin. A steal by Equis Darby led to an Aaron King jumper, pulling Eastern to within 11 points at 43-32.

Clint McFall answered with a three-pointer to up the WT lead to 46-32 with 10:53 to play. The Buffs started to open up the gap. A Tafo lay-in at 7:30 gave WT a 51-36 lead. Shields then drove the lane, got the lay-in and drew a blocking foul, sending him to the line where he completed the three-point play to give WT a 14-point lead.

McFall’s third three-pointer of the night boosted the Buffaloes’ lead to 62-42 with just over three minutes remaining in the contest. Niko Stylianou canned a long-range three to make the score 67-45 with 1:38 to play. An Anthony Clark put-back gave WT a 69-45 lead and from there it was a matter of running out the clock. “We did a much better job of shooting the ball in the second half,” Cooper said. “I think that was more the result of us having better shot selection.”

Nick Burns led the Buffs in scoring, with 16 points. This is the fourth time that Burns has led the Buff scoring contingent in LSC South play, with each resulting in a WT win. Bijan Dotson recorded his third-straight double-digit scoring performance, with 14 points. McFall and Shields each contributed 11 points apiece. Burns led Buff rebounders, with six, while McFall had five boards. As a team, WT shot 44.7 percent from the floor and, after struggling from the line in recent games, they hit 77 percent of their free throws and outrebounded the Greyhounds by a 38-30 margin.

“Bijan (Dotson) had a good game at low post for us,” Cooper said. “He did a nice job of putting himself in position to score.”

ENMU was paced by Equs Darby’s 12-point outing. Dannon Wafer had a team-high six rebounds. As a team, the Greyhounds hit just 34.6 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from the foul line. WT forced 19 ENMU turnovers.

The Buffs and the Greyhounds turn right around and meet again this Saturday, Feb. 7. Tip-off at Greyhound Arena is set for 9 p.m. CST.