ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University men's basketball lost for the first time this season to an NCAA III opponent, falling in double-overtime at home versus Centenary College, 92-91, at Kimbrell Arena.
 
The two teams slugged it out in the early going and the first half was a foreshadowing of what was ahead for the balance of the game. The Gents led by as much as eight points in the first – 25-33 – with 4:56 left to play, only to have McM chip away and get to with a single basket by intermission, 34-32.
 
In the second half, the War Hawks not just overtook Centenary, but built a nine –point cushion.  Aaron Gettys canned a three-pointer at the 9:34 mark, off an assists Nate Estrada, to give McM a 59-50 advantage. But an 12-2 run by the Gents over the next three minutes allowed Centenary to grab a 62-61 lead.
 
With 3:37 left in regulation, the War Hawks had climbed ahead by seven points, 73-66, on a trey by Estrada. But CC refused to go quietly and scored the next nine points to slide in front of the War Hawks, 75-73 with 1:59 left to play.
 
McMurry would get two three-point shots, as well as take advantage of a trio of Centenary turnovers, to control the ball down the stretch.  A shot clock violation gave McM the ball back once again with 16 seconds left to play. LaRandall Scroggins missed a jumper from the top of the key, but Estrada was battled for the offensive rebound and called a timeout with two seconds left.
 
Estrada then inbounded the ball on a lob to Scroggins, who calmly sank the short jumper as time expired to send the game into an extra segment, 75-75. McMurry led in the first OT with 30 seconds remaining, 83-81, after Estrada buried another three off a great pass from Calvin McGee. However, Centenary got a layup with 13 ticks left and the teams headed to a second extra period.
 
In the second OT, McGee's free throws with 3:23 left built McM's lead to seven points, 90-83. But the War Hawks went cold for the balance of the period. Centenary reeled off a 6-0 run before another McGee free throw made it 91-89 with 27 seconds remaining. The Gents' James Sapp (30 points/17 rebounds) made a driving layup with 10 seconds left and was also fouled by Trumaine Elmore. Sapp converted the free throw to put the visitors ahead, 92-91.
 
Estrada hoisted an off-balance jumper that didn't draw iron as time ran out on McMurry's gritty effort.
 

Estrada led McM's scorers with 17 points, including canning five three-point baskets. Estrada also had a game-high six assists, as well as four rebounds.
 
Scroggins finished the game with 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds, to go along with his four assists. Gabriel Chacon's 13 points, Thierry Tchenko's 11 points and Chris Cerny's 10 points round out McMurry's quintet of double-figure scorers.
 
Cerny also pulled in eight rebounds.  McGee finished with a balanced five points, seven rebounds and five assists.  Cerny and Elmore each contributed two blocks to McM's efforts.
 
McMurry will try to return to the "W" column on Thursday (Dec. 3) versus East Texas Baptist University. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Marshall.