PORTALES, N.M. -- Midwestern State rode a quick start in each half to dust Eastern New Mexico 82-53 Monday night in Lone Star Conference play at Greyhound Arena.
 
"We definitely knew (getting off to a quick start) was a focus for this game and our guys responded very well," MSU coach Nelson Haggerty said. "We were much more focused coming out early in the game."
 
The Mustangs have made a habit of digging deep holes in the early going having trailed in their seven previous games and faced double-figure disadvantages in five of those games.
 
MSU got to work early on its New Year's resolution by jumping on the Greyhounds with a 9-0 run, lost the advantage then built it back up with an 8-0 run to lead 23-14 on Corbin Thomas' jumper with 8:56 to go the opening half.
 
Eastern New Mexico scrapped back to tie the game at 26-all in the see-saw first half, but MSU which never trailed in the game answered with another 8-0 run to lead 36-31 at the break.
 
The hot-shooting Mustangs took over by blistering the nets at a 65.2-percent clip in the second half and used a 13-0 run culminated by a Derrell Gibbs' trey to take a commanding 64-42 lead with 7:50 to play.
 
"We really responded in the second half to playing with passion and intensity defensively," Haggerty said. "That's something we've definitely been looking for in the last few games. We definitely got that tonight."
 
The coach praised Gibbs, who came off of the bench to knock down three 3-pointers to finish with 11 points and a pair of steals in 24 minutes. That was just one of many key bench contributions made by the Mustangs.
 
"Derrell's energy and enthusiasm took us to a new level tonight," Haggerty said. "Derek Kaster gave us some big time minutes. He rebounded well and guarded very well tonight.  Chris Buttermore's minutes were big. It was just a total team effort."
 
Senior forward Corbin Thomas led the way going 9-for-11 from the field to finish with a game-high 20 points while pulling down eight rebounds while versatile senior guard/forward Kevin Grayer pitched in 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals.
 
The Mustangs limited the 3-point crazed Greyhounds to 34-percent shooting from the floor as ENMU went 0-for-7 from the arc in the second half.
 
"This was a great scout by (assistant) coach (Tres) Segler," Haggerty said. "We didn't want these guys to get open looks and play freely. We got up in guys and really challenged them."
 
Kyle Lantz was the lone Greyhound in double figures finishing with 11 points in 24 minutes off of the bench. Eastern New Mexico dipped to 5-7 on the season and 2-2 in league play.
 
Midwestern State improved to 8-3 on the season while moving to a perfect 4-0 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
The Mustangs play two more games on the road this week as MSU takes on Abilene Christian on Thursday and Angelo State on Saturday.