Portales, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico will travel to Denver, Colo. for back to back games starting Friday against Metro State Denver and ending Saturday night against Regis University.

LAST WEEK
The Greyhounds started off Lone Star Conference play with a 93-78 loss to West Texas A&M. Starting off slow, the Hounds were unable to recover from a first half lead by the Buffs. The Hounds dominated the glass out-rebounding the Buffs 39–35, 30 of those rebounds on defense. Senior Deng Kuany worked the floor and glass recording ten points with four rebounds in his 12 minutes of play in the first half. Kuany saw the most action this season playing a total of 21 minutes, recording a season high 12 points. Junior Devin Pullum led the Hounds in scoring with 16 points. Pullum also recorded seven rebounds, a season high, in 34 minutes of action, the most the junior has seen in a game this season. Quiet in the first, Yosnier Cobas worked the glass ending the game with 11 rebounds in 27 minutes of play.

Regis started out the season with wins over LSC foes Lubbock Christian and St. Mary’s and split their road trip to Portland, Ore. with wins over Concordia University (Ore.) and a loss to Western Oregon. Sophomore Toni Rocak leads the Rangers in scoring with an average of 12.8 points per contest through the first four games of the season. Rocak has scored 10 or more points in each contest so far for the Rangers.

The Rangers have five international players represented on their roster and have a winning scoring margin of 6.8 for the year.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION

MSU Denver finished ninth last season with a record of 10-12 in the RMAC and 12-14 overall. The Metro State Roadrunners were picked fifth in the RMAC. The Roadrunners started off their season at the Coca-Cola Conference Challenge where they faced Tarleton State and Arkansas Fort-Smith. Both games proved to be a tough matchup as the Roadrunners lost both contests. Back at home, Metro State saw their first win of the season against Northern New Mexico. Senior guard Druce Asah led the Roadrunners to a win scoring 17 points in the second half alone, totaling 22 points for the game. Returning to MSU, former starting guard for the 1999-2000 season, John Bynum, returns starts his first season as an assistant coach. Bynum led the Roadrunners to a Division II national championship for the 1999-20 season. Bynum played professionally overseas for 14 years until returning back to the United States.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE LEADERS
Cobas earns the top stop for blocked shots. Playing in three games Cobas has blocked five shots for a 1.7 per game average. Pullum keeps his No. 3 spot for assists with 15 overall averaging 5 a game. Senior Darius Sawyer starts off the week at the No. 4 spot for Free Throw Percentage going 9-10 in three games played for a 90% average.

LEADING THE HOUNDS
Pullum started off the season leading the Hounds and reaching a couple top five spots in the LSC. Pullum currently leads the Hounds in scoring (49 points), in minutes played (98 min), and in assists with 15 for the season where he also sits at No. 3 for the LSC. Cobas leads the Hounds in rebounding, dominating the glass totaling 21 rebounds for his three games played. Junior Ibn Zaid, also a new Hound this season, is shooting 66.7% from the field going 10-for-15 in three games.

SO FAR THIS SEASON
The Hounds have struggled at the start of the 2019-20 season, falling in the first two opening exhibition games. Starting their regular season at the LSC/RMAC Conference Challenge in Durango Colo. their first game against New Mexico Highlands proved to be a battle between the two teams. Despite a late comeback effort in their second contest the Hounds lost 90-85 to Fort Lewis.

The Greyhounds visited UTEP for their last exhibition game of the season and lost the contest 71-57.This past weekend the Hounds visited rival and conference leader West Texas A&M. Falling behind in the first the Hounds were unable to recover and create scoring plays and lost the matchup 93-78. Eastern New Mexico will not see action on home court until Dec. 7 against Wayland Baptist University.