PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico came at the St. Edward's men's basketball team in waves, and for a night, the Hilltoppers couldn't find the firepower to respond in a 103-70 loss to the Greyhounds in the conference opener. 
 
St. Edward's allowed six different Eastern New Mexico players to reach double figures, getting outscored 54-7 in bench points. The Hilltoppers compounded their defensive issues with shooting struggles, hitting just 25-for-71 (35.2 percent) from the field, including 7-for-27 from deep. 
 
GAVINO RAMOS opened the game with a monster first half, scoring 19 points on 6-for-10 shooting with three 3-pointers and two steals in a little more than 17 minutes. It was enough to give the Hilltoppers a 28-26 lead with seven minutes remaining before the break, but Eastern New Mexico reeled off a 25-9 run to close the half with a 51-37 lead.
 
Jahcoree Ealy led Eastern New Mexico with 16 first-half points on 7-for-10 shooting, and Junior Hodnett complemented him with 12 points on 4-for-5 from deep. 
 
SEAN ELKINTON and BLAKE NIELSEN found some rhythm in the second half, combining for 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting, but the Hilltoppers shot just 29.7 percent as a team after the break, while Eastern New Mexico hit 51.4 percent with four different Greyhounds scoring at least seven points. 
 
Ramos led St. Edward's with 25 points, hitting 10-for-14 from the free-throw line. Elkinton added 15 points and nine rebounds, JEFF GARY scored 13, and Nielsen added 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists. 
 
Ealy led Eastern New Mexico with 16 points, Lyron Bennett added 12, and Jose Murillo scored 10 to make three starters in double figures. Hodnett scored 15, Blazej Czerniewicz scored 14, and Conrad Luczynski had 12 off the bench. Eastern New Mexico finished with 27 of its 38 made field goals assisted on. 
 
St. Edward's drops to 5-3 and will face Western New Mexico on Saturday.