Box Score

ABILENE, Texas – Less than 24 hours after announcing its intentions to transition from NCAA Division III to Division II, the McMurry men's basketball team got its first taste of scholarship basketball and nearly slayed NCAA Division I Southern Methodist University. However, the Mustangs avoided the upset with a 70-67 victory Saturday night at McMurry's Kimbrell Arena.

The game on McMurry's campus was believed to be just the third time in history that an NCAA Division III school has played host to an NCAA Division I. In front of 1,211 fans, McMurry was within one points of the lead twice in the final five minutes, but came up short on the upset opportunity when Jeremiah Samarripas drained two free throws for SMU with 2.2 seconds left.

McMurry shocked SMU in the first half by scoring the first six points of the contest and going on to take a 15-2 lead with 12:51 remaining in the first period. However, the Mustangs who had a two-week layoff prior to Saturday's matchup woke up put together a a 21-0 run capped by a pair of free throws from Harp with 5:31 remaining.

McMurry out-rebounded SMU 39-31, and the statistical difference in the contest was the Mustangs' 9 for 9 performance at the free-throw line while McMurry was 5 for 8. McMurry shot 41 percent from the floor and hit eight 3-pointers while SMU was 49 percent from the floor and hit seven treys.

Papa Dia had 19 points and 15 rebounds while Rodny Clinkscales added 18 and five respectively. Abilene native Ryan Harp came home and scored a career-high 16 points in front of several friends and family for the Mustangs.

In the losing effort, McMurry had four players in double figures with Jaden Isler, Steven Jones and Derick Sumpter all tallying 14 points, and Steven Johunkin added 13.

SMU improved to 6-4 on the season while McMurry fell to 6-4 on the year. McMurry takes a holiday break before returning to Kimbrell Arena Thursday night to face Louisiana College in a return to American Southwest Conference action.