ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University men's basketball team opens its Heartland Conference portion of its schedule with a pair of games at Kimbrell Arena.
 
The War Hawks (4-4) welcome Newman University (3-6, 0-1 HC) Thursday evening for a 7:30 p.m. tip and Oklahoma Panhandle State University (0-8) for a 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon start time.
 
The War Hawks look to bounce back after an 89-83 setback at No.11-ranked Tarleton State University. After starting the season 4-1, McM has dropped three-straight contests.

For the War Hawks to return to the win column, junior Brandon Golden (Austin, Texas/Coastal Bend College) needs to continue to play well. The 6-foot-4 guard averages a team-high 14. 8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Also, 6-foot-8 Alfred Perez (Spring, Texas/Klein Collins HS) has been a presence down low and averages 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. However, the senior is shooting 85 percent (17-for-20) from the free-throw line.
 
The ability to find and hit open shots has been strength early in the season.
 
As a team the War Hawks are shooting nearly 45 percent from the field and average 73 points per game. The McM defense has held opponents to 41 percent shooting from the field and to 71 points per contest.
 
The War Hawks will need to find a way to slow down a Newman team that averages 78 points per game.
 
The Jets are led by 6-foot-4 swingman Jeremy Espinoza. The Uvalde, Texas native averages 11.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per match. NU also relies on senior forward Marquis Cuyler who averages 9.9 points, 5 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.
 
This will be just the third meeting between the two schools. Newman defeated McMurry last year by scores of 61-52 and 72-70.
 
OPSU travels to St. Edward's University Thursday night prior to its scheduled tilt against McM.
 
McM and OPSU have met a total of 12 times and the War Hawks own an 8-4 series mark.  The War Hawks have won four-straight and by an average score of 83-64.
 
Both games can be heard locally on KSLI 1280 AM in the Abilene area, as well as via the stations of the War Hawk Network and worldwide on the Internet. Kit Kimbrell and David Bacon call the action. Video links for both games are also available - free of charge - at mcmurrysports.com