SHREVEPORT, La. – The McMurry University men's basketball rolled through Centenary College with freight train-like results, scoring a 94-89 road victory. The War Hawks improved to 2-0 on the young season, behind a scoring average of 97.5 points per game, thus far, on the offensive end.
If McM's team is a "freight train," then senior forward
Connor Robinson has been the War Hawks' "engineer." Versus the Gents on Thursday, Robinson had another huge game by pouring in 37 points and grabbing a career-high 21 rebounds. He was an efficient 13-of-22 from the field and 11-of-17 from the free throw line.
After two contests, Robinson's averages are a ranging in the stratosphere at 40.5 points and 18.0 rebounds per game. He is shooting 65.8 percent from the field and nearly 78 percent from the charity stripe.
"Connor is a modern-day lumberjack," McM head coach
Clif Carroll said. "He comes to the gym and 'chops wood.' He plays with incredible passion and toughness.
"He's playing the best ball of his career."
While Robinson's big game might have drawn the spotlight, it was by no means the only shining performance for the War Hawks.
Sophomore
Jordan Holmes also had his second-consecutive 20-plus point game to open 2014-15, clipping Centenary for 26 points. Holmes was nine-for-16 from the floor and also passed off a team-leading four assists.
Alex Lewis was also nine-of-16 shooting from the field, registering a three-for-five night from beyond the arc, good for 21 points. Lewis added six rebounds to his coffers for the night, as well.
The War Hawks held a decided advantage on the glass, 48-36, over the Gents in their home opener.
Hondo Webb pulled down seven of those caroms.
Despite some of the eventual gaudy numbers amassed by McMurry's players by the game's end, the War Hawks actually trailed by 10 points – 48-38 – at the intermission.
"We played a lackluster first half on the defensive end," Carroll recounted. "I had to challenge the team to play better defense in the second half.
"They gave a better effort, but we have to continue to grow and mature on the defensive end if we are going to reach our potential as a team."
McMurry overtook Centenary in the final 20 minutes by a 56-41 scoring margin. For the night, McM shot 51.5 percent (34-66) from the floor, including 57.6 percent in that second stanza, alone.
The War Hawks will play the third of six road games to open 2014-15 next Monday when they travel to Wayland Baptist University for a 7 p.m. tipoff in Plainview.
