THE RUNDOWN
PORTALES, N.M. – Senior guard JaJuan Starks netted his second 20-point outburst of the season in an 85-73 loss to Eastern New Mexico. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native scored a season-high 26 as the Mustangs (3-5, 0-1 LSC) lost their fourth-straight contest.
 
Starks shot 10-of-15 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc while grabbing four rebounds and handing out two assists to power the Maroon and Gold.
 
His MSU Texas supporting cast combined to go 16-of-45 (35.6 percent) from the floor and just 4-of-16 from deep.
 
Gilbert Thomas, Jr. added 12 points and four boards on 4-of-6 shooting while D'Monta Harris put up 10 points, all in the second half, and a game-high seven rebounds. Josh Wallace rounded out the Mustangs in double-figures with 10 points and five boards.
 
ENMU's Devin Pullum led the Greyhounds to their first victory over the Mustangs in Portales since 2012, scoring 20 points with four treys.
 
The Mustangs mounted a 14-3 run over a five-minute stretch from the 9:17 mark to the 4:42 mark in the first half to pull within one, down 30-29. After both sides exchanged free throws, the Greyhounds closed the opening frame on an 8-0 run to take a 42-33 lead into the break.
 
ENMU did the majority of its damage in the first half from long range, going 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from 3-point land and 41.9 percent from the field.
 
MSU Texas capped a 12-0 run at the 14:52 mark on a Starks layup to gain its only lead of the night, up 53-50.
 
After both sides exchanged layups, ENMU responded with a 12-1 run of its own to regain the lead for good. Darius Sawyer emphatically gave the Greyhounds the lead for good, 59-58, with a fast break dunk at the 10:53 mark to start the run.
 
MSU Texas eventually chipped the lead back down to two, down 66-64, on a Wallace triple, but ENMU connected on its free throw attempts down the stretch to expand the lead out to 12 to end the contest.
 
GAME NOTES
- Midwestern State suffered just its third loss to the Greyhounds since 2007, owning a 22-3 mark against the Hounds
- The Greyhounds forced the Mustangs into 22 turnovers, resulting in 24 ENMU points
- MSU Texas' bench was outscored 44-17
- The Maroon and Gold outrebounded the Hounds 37-35
- Senior guard JaJuan Starks dropped 20 points for the second time this season, going for a season-best 26 in the loss
 
UP NEXT
MSU Texas travels to West Texas A&M on Saturday, Dec. 1. Tipoff at the First United Bank Center is set for 4 p.m.