EASTERN NEW MEXICO 84, INCARNATE WORD 62
The old saying in most sports is to win big at home and split on the road. The second part is proving elusive for Incarnate Word as the men's basketball team Saturday lost its third consecutive game on the road.
This one was by 84-62 at Eastern New Mexico and dropped the Cardinals to 15-4 on the year including a 4-3 mark in the Lone Star Conference South Division. The Greyhounds on the other hand climbed to a tie in the South with UIW.
It took five days and two bus trips for Incarnate Word to finally get in the game in Portales, N.M. Severe winter weather saw UIW attempt to travel west on last Wednesday. Impossible, with the icy conditions. The game was rescheduled and the Cardinals didn't fare so well.
Eastern New Mexico fired away at a 54.8 clip from the field while the Cardinals were but 41.7. Those percentages included ENM being 8-19 on three's while Incarnate Word was a measly 1-12 from beyond the line.
Incarnate Word won the second chance points battle by 20-5 but a hugely-telling statistic was on bench points. Eastern New Mexico's players off the bench amassed 45 points to just 11 for the Cardinals. UIW's backup personnel was but three of 20 in shooting.
In the first half, senior forward Tracy Robinson hit a jumper at 15:43 and UIW had its last lead at 10-8. Leading 17-16 at 12:11, ENMU went off 10-0 to 27-16 on the way to a 44-32 halftime advantage.
The lead in the second half continued in double points except when sophomore guard Kelcey Solomon made a conventional three-point play cutting the Greyhounds lead to 48-40 at 16:59. Eastern countered and the differential soared again reaching 24 points at one point.
The Eastern New Mexico bench production was led by 12 points and 10 rebounds by Aaron Edwards and 16 points from Victor Reid. Incarnate Word was led b y Solomon's 14 points, 12 from junior forward Chris Johnson and 11 from senior guard Eric Stewart.
The Cardinals return to the friendly confines of the McDermott Center for a Wednesday game against Tarleton State. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
