MARSHALL, Texas – Despite placing five players in double-figures, the McMurry University men's basketball team fell, 105-91, at East Texas Baptist University in its first game this season versus an American Southwest Conference foe. 
 
The War Hawks (1-4) became the 23rd-straight victim for the Tigers (4-1) on their home court.
 
ETBU took control early in the first half, leading by seven points (42-35), with 4:17 left until the break. McM got to within three points, 44-41, after a pair of free throws by Chris Cerny. But the War Hawks went cold the rest of the way and the Tigers finished the half on a 13-0 run to carry a 57-41 cushion into the locker room.
 
The second half did not fare much better for McMurry, as the host Tigers maintained a double-digit lead throughout the period.  Another Cerny free throw at 8:06 whittled the deficit to 11 points (87-76), but McMurry would get no closer. ETBU led by as much as 21 with 4:06 remaining to be played.
 
Cerny, a senior, came off the bench to finish the night with a career-high 18 points, hitting 5-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.  Cerny also converted 5-of-7 free throws.
 
Freshman Calvin McGee hit 6-of-7 from the field on his way to 13 points. McGee, at 5-foot-7, grabbed five rebounds and passed off for three assists. Junior Nate Estrada also chipped in 13 points, draining 3-of-7 treys and 4-of-4 from the free throw stripe.
 
Sophomore Gabriel Chacon booked 12 points and junior Thierry Tchenko 11.  Tchenko led McM with seven rebounds.
 
ETBU was able to take control of the game by dominating in the paint, where it out-scored the War Hawks by a 46-28 margin (while also shooting nearly 52 percent from the floor). The Tigers also held a 50-32 advantage on the glass.
 
McMurry's defense did force ETBU into 17 turnovers. Conversely, McM committed a season-low 10 miscues.
 
McMurry will next play at Louisiana College on Saturday at 3 p.m.