ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry men's basketball team won its third-consecutive contest to open the season as it defeated the Panthers of York College, 86-79, on Saturday evening at the Abilene Christian Classic hosted by Abilene Christian University.
 
The War Hawks (3-0) got out to a fast start for the third straight game. After back-to-back baskets by the Panthers gave McMurry its first deficit of the season, 4-0, McM went on a 24-8 run that spanned eight minutes to give it a 24-12 advantage with just over 10 minutes to play. Alfred Perez and Kenny Williams sparked the run, scoring seven points each in the span.
 
Up 26-15, the War Hawks went on an 8-2 run (which included six more points from Perez) and was capped by a layup from Antonio Bell. The run gave McMurry a 17-point lead, 34-17, which would prove to be its largest of the night.
 
Over the rest of the first half, the Panthers began to chip away at the McMurry lead, outscoring McM 22-11 the rest of the half, to pull within six points at the break, 45-39.
 
The War Hawks shot very well in the first half converting on 60% (15-of-25) of their field goal attempts, and 75% (15-of-20) from the free throw stripe. However, it was turnovers that plagued McMurry that allowed York to hang in the game. 13 first half miscues led to 14 Panther points to keep the McMurry lead at single digits.
 
After Williams opened the second half with a bucket that put McMurry up by eight, the two teams swapped baskets, until a 6-0 McM run opened up a 12-point lead for the War Hawks. The team would keep the lead around double-digits over the next six minutes. A jumper by Kaylim Noel at the 9:33 mark had McM up by 13, 68-55.
 
But the Panthers would not go away. They would score the next 10 points, including four-straight free throws by Thadd Varmall, to cut the McMurry lead to just three, 68-65, with 7:38 remaining in the game.
 
With the Panthers within reach of tying the contest, the McMurry backcourt took over the game. Bell and Takoby Jackson scored the last 18 points of the contest for the War Hawks. With the three-point advantage, Bell drove the lane and made a basket while drawing a foul. He then made the free throw to finish the three-point play to put McMurry up 71-65 with 7:10 left.
 
In the final five minutes, Jackson and Bell combined to shoot 11-for-11 from the free throw line to finish out the game and give the War Hawks the seven point victory, 86-79.
 
Offensively, McMurry was led by Bell's 22-point night. He was joined in double-figures by Williams (17), Perez (16), and Jackson, who finished with 15. Perez also notched the first double-double of the NCAA Division II era for McMurry, as he added 11 boards.
 
As a team, McMurry shot the lights out in Moody Coliseum, hitting 57% of its shots, while converting on 78% (30-of-38) of its chances from the free throw line.
 
The War Hawks once again played solid defense, holding the Panthers, who came into the game averaging 49% shooting and 96 points per game, to 79 points while forcing 14 miscues.
 
McMurry will be back in action on Friday, November 23^rd, when they take on Cameron University in the first day of the Texas A&M Kingsville Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.