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WTAMU Edged By ENMU Monday Night, 77-72, In OT
Feb. 9, 2004
All a team wants at the end of the game is a chance to win and that's exactly what the West Texas A&M University men's basketball team had with 15 seconds left in overtime. However, the Buffs couldn't cash in on the chance, pushing the division leader to the limits before dropping a hard-fought 77-72 overtime Lone Star Conference South division thriller to Eastern New Mexico, Monday night at the WTAMU Event Center
It was the Buffs' third-straight loss overall, as WTAMU is now 13-9 overall, 3-4 in the LSC South, remaining in fourth-place after being in a tie for the division lead just 10 days ago. It was WTAMU's second loss of the season to ENMU, as the Greyhounds' swept the season meetings for the second time in three years, winning five of the last seven match-ups.
ENMU won its fourth-straight and improves to 13-9 overall and 6-1 in the LSC South, remaining atop the division standings, moving one full game ahead of Texas A&M-Kingsville.
It was WTAMU's first overtime loss of the season, as the Buffs had won their previous three extra session contests, while ENMU is 2-0 in OT.
Turnovers continue to plague WTAMU like a never-ending cold, as the Buffs committed 20 miscues Monday night, the 12th time this season and third-consecutive game with 20 or more turnovers. The Greyhounds converted the WTAMU turnovers into 23 points.
The Buffs did commit few turnovers than the Greyhounds, as the WTAMU defense forced 21 ENMU turnovers, marking the first time this season the Buffs have lost when committing fewer miscues than the opposition.
Senior guard Rod Prater netted his fifth 3-pointer of the game with 20 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 64-all. After an ENMU timeout, Jamaal Hunnicutt had a chance to win the game for the Greyhounds, but his jumper clanked off the rim as time expired, forcing the extra session.
Hunnicutt made sure he had an impact on the outcome of the game as he hit a pair of free throws with 1:06 left in overtime, breaking the game's 18th and final tie and giving ENMU a 72-71 lead.
That would remain the score as the clock wound down to 15 seconds when WTAMU junior forward Carlos Silva missed two free throws, but Prater garnered the rebound but missed a layup and Hunnicutt rebounded and was fouled.
Hunnicutt hit one of the two ensuing free throws with 11 seconds left, missing the second, but the rebound bounced out of bounds off WTAMU. Hunnicutt hit two more free throws to put the Greyhounds ahead 75-71 with eight ticks on the clock.
Prater was fouled with three seconds remaining and hit one of two free throws and ENMU's Travazz Buckley put the exclamation point on the win with a dunk at the buzzer.
Hunnicutt, named the LSC South Player of the Week Monday afternoon, hit 7-8 free throws in OT, to finish with 14 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds, registering his second double-double in the last three games, both against WTAMU, as he had 18 points and 10 boards in the Greyhounds' 89-74 victory on Monday at Portales, N.M.
The Buffs posted four players in double-figures, led by Prater's game-high 20 points, on five 3-pointers. Junior guard Carl Lamb netted 14 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds, while Silva added 12 points, 10 after halftime, and tied a career-high with six blocked shots. Junior forward Richard Higginbotham tallied 11 points.
ENMU was led by Buckley's 17 points, 10 in the first half, while Jamal Washington added 15 points off the bench and Brent Cooper chipped in with 12 points to go with dishing out a game-high five assists.
WTAMU's biggest lead of the game was at 49-42 with 10:48 to play, as Silva capped a 6-0 run with a layup.
ENMU rallied to take a 56-52 lead with 5:05 remaining on a jumper from Cooper, before WTAMU clawed back, only to have the Greyhounds take a 64-61 lead with 50 seconds left on a layup by Hunnicutt, setting up Prater's game-tying 3-pointer.
The Buffs continue their four-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 14, with a rematch against Midwestern State on Saturday, Feb. 14, in a 6 and 8 p.m. doubleheader with the Lady Buffs at the WTAMU Event Center .
Saturday will be "Take A Kid To The Game," an NCAA sponsored event with kids 12 and under admitted free when accompanied by a paid adult, with adult general admission ticket costing $4. For more information, click here to read WTAMU Release, or contact the WTAMU Ticket Office at 806-651-1414.
Fans can catch the action on the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM and www.gobuffsgo.com.
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