Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. – McMurry University had to earn its way to consolation victory with a 69-60 win over Averett University at Ragan-Brown Field House Saturday afternoon. After leading by as many as 16 points in the second half, the Cougars fought to within six points of the lead, but McMurry held off the rally.

McMurry's long-distance shooting gave the team the edge at halftime leading 38-27 thanks to six 3-point field goals as a team led by Jaden Isler's three long-range buckets. Isler finished the game with 20 points on 4 of 7 shooting beyond the arc to lead McMurry in scoring.

The Cougars' Victor Cores hit one of two free-throws with 4:42 remaining to cut the McMurry lead to six at 61-55. However, McMurry countered with a bucket from Isler and two free throws from Steven Johunkin to extend the lead back to 10 points. From there the lead would get no smaller than seven points for McMurry.

Steven Jones and Teddy Chambers each had 11 points and Johunkin added nine. McMurry shot 43 percent from the field and 44 percent from behind the 3-point arc on 7 of 16 shooting.

Averett committed 27 turnovers in the contest, shot 36 percent from the field and were just 8 of 28 from long-range in the loss. Cortes finished with 20 points and Steven Terry added 11 in the losing effort.

The Cougars fell to 1-3 on the season while McMurry improved to 2-1 on the season and begins conference play in the American Southwest Conference Saturday against LeTourneau in Longview at 3 p.m.