EDMOND, Okla. – The McMurry University men's basketball team will look to continue a three-game conference winning-streak as they travel to Edmond, Oklahoma to tangle with the Eagles of Oklahoma Christian University on Thursday.
 
McM comes into the contest having won its' last game, a 59-49 decision over St. Edward's University on Saturday. In the game, the War Hawks held the Hilltoppers to just 12 points on 2-of-22 shooting (nine percent) in the first half, both of which were season bests for the McMurry defense.
 
McMurry held St. Edward's to 23 percent shooting for the game and just 49 points. The point total marked the fourth time this season that the War Hawks have held their opponent to under 50 points.
 
So far this season, the War Hawks are led by Takoby Jackson, who has scored double-figures in eight of his last nine contests. He currently leads the team in points per game with 13.6. Antonio Bell is the only other War Hawk in double figures, averaging 10.7.
 
After rattling off four straight, the Eagles have dropped two in a row including a 62-55 loss at the hands of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. In the contest, Will Reinke led the way with 19 points while Willie Harper and Nick Tate scored 16 and 11 off the bench, respectively. Besides Reinke, the rest of the starting lineup for the Eagles combined to shoot 3-for-18 for the game.
 
Over the course of the year, Reinke has been the most consistent performer for the Eagles, scoring 18.6 points while pulling down 10.0 rebounds per game. Kendre Talley is also averaging in double figures, scoring 10.5 points per contest.
 
When the War Hawks and Eagles get together on Thursday, fans can expect to see a defensive struggle, as both teams rank at the top of the Heartland Conference in opponents' field goal percentage. McMurry ranks second, holding opponents to a .403 percentage, while Oklahoma Christian ranks first with an opponents' field goal percentage of .401. However, the War Hawks also rank first in opponents' points per game (62.7), while the Eagles are sixth (69.6).
 
In the two teams' previous meeting, the War Hawks walked away with a 69-63 victory in overtime. Jackson notched his first double-double of the season in the game, scoring 23 points and adding 10 boards. Bell scored 17 points while Kaylim Noel and Alfred Perez also broke double figures in the game. Defense was the key in the contest, as both teams held each other to under 40 percent in the contest.