Men’s Basketball Begins Five-Game Road Swing at Lions, Texans

COMMERCE/STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The long road trip of the season has arrived for the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team as they start a five-game road swing this week playing at Texas A&M-Commerce and Tarleton State.

WNMU is 2-17 overall and 0-11 in the Lone Star Conference. This past week, following a tough game against UT Permian Basin, the Mustangs fought hard against nationally-ranked West Texas A&M before falling by 15.
Sophomores Jordan Enriquez (El Paso, TX/Bel Air ) at 12.7 per game, 15th in the conference and Willie McCray (Clovis, NM/Clovis/Westwind Prep Academy ) at 10.8 per game, 26th in the conference, led the team in scoring. Junior Latrell Spivey (Phoenix, AZ/Westview) remains in the top-five in the conference in rebounding at 9.5 per game, fourth-best. Senior Emery Range (Grand Rapids, MI/Willow Canyon) is 11th at 5.6 per game. Spivey ranks 42nd nationally in defensive rebounds per game (6.42), 48th in rebounds per game and 60th in total rebounds (172). Following Spivey's 9.3 points per game, freshman Eddie Giron (Monterrey, Mexico/Harmony Science Academy) averages 8.9 and Range at 7.2. Spivey is the top shooter on the team making 54 percent from the field, while Giron leads in three-point percentage connecting on 35 percent. McCray leads in assists with 45 and steals with 21, while Spivey has a team-high 11 blocks.

As a team, WNMU averages 63.8 points and allow 81.6, they make 35.5 percent from the field and allow 44.3 percent. The Mustangs are third in the LSC in fewest turnovers (273) and fifth in both fewest fouls (400) and turnovers per game (14.4). Nationally they rank 53rd in free throw attempts (487) and 93rd in three point field goal defense (33.7).

First up on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. Central Time will be a matchup with Texas A&M-Commerce, currently receiving votes in the Media Poll. The Lions took the 91-63 win in Silver City back on Dec. 10. Giron led the Mustangs with 16 points, while Range grabbed eight rebounds. Trey Seymore led four Lions in double-figures tallying 14 points. Malik Albert and Isaac Asrat added 13 points apiece. Texas A&M-Commerce is 15-5 overall and 7-4 in the conference, currently in a tie for third. They hold a 7-2 mark at home and split the games this past week falling to Midwestern State, 78-57, before defeating Cameron, 73-65. The Lions won their last game at home against West Texas A&M, 104-103, as the game went into two overtimes. They average a third-best 84.8 points and allow the fourth-most at 77.9. They make the fifth-most from the field at 44.5 percent and allow the fourth-most at 41.9 percent. Individually, Albert leads the team scoring 18.6 per game, third in the conference and Seymore is second on the team at 15.3 per game, seventh in the conference. Dorian Armstrong is sixth in the conference in rebounding at 8.3 per game. Albert and Seymore shoot in well from the field with Albert third in the conference at 45.2 percent and Seymore in fourth at 42.3 percent.

It won't get any easier on Saturday afternoon when the Mustangs battle No. 12/No. 11 Tarleton State at 4 p.m. Central Time. The Texans are 18-3 overall and 9-2 in the conference, currently leading the league by a game over UT Permian Basin. Tarleton State has been ranked throughout the season. They are 11-2 at home this season and won both games this past week defeating Cameron (80-74) and Midwestern State (77-72). They lost their last home game to UT Permian Basin (76-64). In the earlier meeting back on Dec. 8 in Silver City, Tarleton State claimed the 70-49 victory. McCray had a big game going for 18 points, while Enriquez added 13. Deshawn Riddick paced the Texans with 17 points. As a team they average a fourth-best 81.6 points and are the top defensive team allowing 65.5 points. They make a league high 48 percent and allow a league best 38.6 percent. Ridell Camidge leads the team averaging 15.5 points per game, sixth in the conference. Chantz Chambers is 14th at 12.9 per game. Romond Jenkins is second-best in the conference in rebounds at 10.7 per game. Jenkins leads the conference in field goal percentage at 66.9 percent.

Live video, stats and audio will be available for both games with Mike Rowse on the call for KSCQ 92.9 and streamed live.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Jordan Enriquez: G; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#23 Willie McCray: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#5 Emery Range: G; 6' 5"; Senior

#32 Eddie Giron: G; 6' 5"; Freshman

#12 Latrell Spivey: F; 6' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#15 Jordan Enriquez
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: G

#23 Willie McCray
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Emery Range
: 6' 5"; Senior
: G

#32 Eddie Giron
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: G

#12 Latrell Spivey
: 6' 8"; Junior
: F