Box Score PORTALES, N.M. – Wayland Baptist couldn't close out Eastern New Mexico as the Greyhounds went on a late 13-0 run and claimed an 80-74 victory over the 21
st-ranked Pioneers here Thursday night.
"I thought we played a very solid basketball game. We had an opportunity to win but just didn't get it done," Wayland coach
Ty Harrelson said.
Playing their last non-conference game of the regular-season and first without top big man
Louis Timms following a season-ending knee injury, Wayland (9-5) held a 62-59 lead with five minutes left when NCAA Division II ENMU (6-8) rolled off 13 straight points to build a 10-point advantage.
"We had a few defensive breakdowns, which was disappointing because I felt like we had them on the ropes," Harrelson said of allowing the Greyhounds back in the game. "We had been scoring with them but not getting stops. I've got to find a way to balance that out.
"If we would have just gotten a stop we would have been all right."
Maurice Redmond hit a 3-pointer to get WBU to within five with 30 seconds to go, but that's as close as the Pioneers got as the Greyhounds sank four free throws down the stretch. Redmond hit another 3 at the buzzer to close out the scoring.
Redmond finished with a game-high 21 points.
Russell Harrison added 11 and
Marshall Nelson 10.
ENMU was led by Joe Harris' 20 points. Cornell Neal tacked on 16 while Chris Lewis had 14 in the Greyhounds' second win in their last eight games, the other victory an 80-70 decision over Sooner Athletic Conference member Texas Wesleyan (10-2), ranked two spots ahead of WBU at No. 19.
Wayland was outrebounded, 39-26, with the Pioneers' top board grabber
Tyrone Davis with six.
Davis started his first game of the year, as did
Tyler Viskovich, as Harrelson shuffled his starting line-up in the wake of Timms' injury.
"Tyrone led us in rebounds. I thought he did a good job," Harrelson said.
ENMU shot 56 percent (28-of-50) from the field compared to Wayland's 39 percent (24-of-61) while the Pioneers were good on 17-of-21 free throws (81 percent), where ENMU made 20-of-34 (59 percent).
"We didn't shoot the ball very well," Harrelson said. "We did a good job at the free-throw line, but they got there 13 more times than us."
The Pioneers ended with 15 turnovers, six fewer than ENMU.
Harrelson said without Timms the rest of the season (he suffered a "total blowout" of his knee Dec. 21 in an exhibition game against Texas-Rio Grande Valley), it's vital the rest of the Pioneers pick up their defense. Timms was Wayland's third-leading scorer who also was leading the NAIA in blocks and ranked 10
th in rebounds,
"It's tough when you lose somebody who's doing that much," Harrelson said. "We have to get better at finding our guys (on defense) and talking to each other. We don't have Louis back there to block shots, so defense is going to be very important.
"Today was a good day to find out what our identity is, just before conference (resumes)."
Wayland returns to SAC play, and to Hutcherson Center, on Jan. 5 against Bacone (3-6, 1-1).
For the most part, Harrelson is happy with how the Pioneers have played to this point.
"I don't necessarily think this was a bad loss," the coach said. "We went 4-2 against NCAA schools. I'd call that a successful preseason."
