KERRVILLE, Texas – McMurry University men's basketball squared off versus the University –Platteville for the first time in its history on Tuesday evening, but came out on the losing side of a 69-63 score played at Schreiner University.
 
It was also just the second-ever game versus a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school (UW-Oshkosh being the other in 1999-2000) for McM. Legendary University of Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan cut his coaching teeth at Platteville (1984-99), winning four NCAA III championships.
 
 The Pioneers (6-4) scored the first eight points of the game, before LaRandall Scroggins buried a short jumper to make it 8-2 at the 16:17 juncture of the opening half. A minute later, UWP had its largest first-half lead – 12-2 – but the War Hawks (1-10) would not give in. A 12-3 run in just over six minutes got McMurry to within a single point, 15-14, with 9:06 remaining until the half.
 
McM led twice in the game, both in the first half. Nate Estrada's three-point basket put the War Hawks up 21-20 at the 6:08 mark. At 4:28, a steal and layup by Calvin McGee gave McM a 25-24 advantage.
 
UWP would take a 36-28 cushion into the halftime locker room.
 
Back-to-back treys by Chris Cerny and Estrada to open the second half quickly cut into the Pioneers' lead. However, Platteville held their lead and eventually went up by as much as 12 points, 54-42, midway through the final period.
 
Estrada led all scorers with 16 points. Estrada was 5-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-5 from long range. He also hit 3-of-4 free throws before fouling out of the game.
 
Scroggins had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Scroggins went 5-of-11 from the field in his 36 minutes on the court.
 
McM's only other double-figure scorer was Cerny with 12 points on a 5-of-12 shooting game. Cerny canned two shots from beyond the arc, as well.
 
McGee had another balanced game for the War Hawks. McGee had eight points, four rebounds, six assists and four steals.
 
McMurry will next take on Schreiner University on Thursday. The New Year's Eve day game tips off at 4 p.m.