BROWNWOOD, Texas – For the first time since the 2011-12 season, the McMurry University men's basketball took on its most-played foe by traveling to Howard Payne University to renew the rivalry. Unfortunately for the War Hawks (2-15), it was the Yellow Jackets (7-9) who got the best of the 157th meeting, 71-65, at the Brownwood Coliseum.
 
McM still leads the all-time series by a 77-80 margin.
 
In a game that was every bit as close as the score would indicate – no lead grew past single digits or either team – it was HPU that held the lead for better than 33 minutes of the game. McM took the upper hand for the first time at the 16:41 juncture of the second half when LaRandall Scroggins buried a three-point basket. After some back-and-forth, the War Hawks retook the lead (51-50) on a ttrey by Gabriel Chacon.
 
A few moments later, the Yellow Jackets converted an offensive rebound into an easy layup, taking over for good at 52-51.  Down the stretch, McM hung close and trailed by just four points – 65-61 – after a Nate Estrada three with 51 seconds showing on the clock, but could get no closer.
 
Sophomore Aaron Gettys led the War Hawks in scoring with 15 points. Gettys had a hot hand from the field, making 6-of-8 (1-2 from beyond the arc).  He also had five rebounds and a pair of steals.
 
Estrada closed his afternoon with 11 points, five boards, three assists and two steals. Freshman Calvin McGee added nine points, a team-best four assists and two steals.
 
Scroggins booked eight points and pulled down a game-leading nine rebounds. Cameron Jackson booked seven points, while Chacon and Blake Cochran had five each.  Chris Cerny's three points and two from Zachary Campbell capped McM's scoring.