Eastern New Mexico University's men's basketball team secured a 78-65 win over MSU Denver during the Thanksgiving Classic hosted by CSU Pueblo. The victory improved the Greyhounds' record to 4-1, while the Roadrunners dropped to 1-4.
Head coach Daven Võ commented on his team's performance after the game: "We came out really strong in the first half. We were ready to play. We have not played in a week and our guys were anxious to get out there."
The Greyhounds took control early, building a 26-5 lead within the first seven minutes and maintaining their advantage throughout, leading for nearly the entire game. Their defensive effort was notable, as they collected 14 steals and did not allow MSU Denver to take the lead at any point.
ENMU focused on dominating inside, outscoring MSU Denver 54-24 in points in the paint. When asked about this approach, Võ said: "What we wanted to do. We try to be physical."
The team also led in rebounding with a 45-36 edge overall and a 19-14 advantage on offensive rebounds.
Senior forward Jose Murillo contributed significantly with 15 points and 15 rebounds, including a double-double by halftime with 12 points and 12 boards. He also added four steals and two blocks.
Cooper Jackson stood out defensively with five steals and eight points, while freshman Mika Tangermann had four blocks and scored eight points as well.
Mo Austin, playing in Pueblo for the first time since his high school career at Pueblo South, led all scorers with 16 points on efficient shooting (7-of-12), along with six assists, three steals, and five rebounds.
Transfer guard Kobe Smith added seven points for Eastern New Mexico.
As a team, ENMU shot 46.3% from the field but struggled at the free throw line, converting just over half of their attempts (56.5%), missing ten free throws for the second time this season.
Eastern New Mexico will face CSU Pueblo next; their opponent is currently undefeated this season after winning against UT Permian Basin.
