Eastern New Mexico University's men's basketball team will play its first away game of the 2025-26 season against Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Greyhounds recently secured a 92-73 victory over Northern New Mexico, an event that drew more than 2,000 attendees at Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena. After the game, players participated in an autograph session with fans, continuing the tradition of connecting Eastern New Mexico Athletics with local schools.
Junior guard Austin Abrams has taken on a larger role this season after serving as a key reserve last year when the team reached the Lone Star Conference quarterfinals. Now a starter, Abrams is one of three players to score in double figures in all three games so far and set a career high with 26 points against Northern New Mexico. He also shares the team lead for three-point shots made.
Freshman forward Mika Tangermann has made an impact early in his collegiate career, averaging 6.7 points per game and playing about 17 minutes per contest. His best performance came in a win over New Mexico Highlands, where he scored 11 points and was efficient from both inside and outside the arc.
The upcoming matchup marks the 14th meeting between Eastern New Mexico and Northwestern Oklahoma State. Their last encounter was on January 5, 1980, when Eastern New Mexico won 72-56 at a neutral site. The teams played regularly during the 1970s.
Northwestern Oklahoma State enters this weekend's game with a record of one win and two losses. The Rangers average just over 78 points per game and are shooting nearly half their attempts successfully from the field. Max Alexander leads their scoring efforts with an average of more than 22 points per game and has scored at least 20 points in each outing this season. Former Greyhound Liam Canty now plays for Northwestern Oklahoma State as a reserve.
