ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University men's basketball team battled American Southwest Conference West Division leader Hardin-Simmons University right down to the wire, but in the end fell by an 87-83 score at the Mabee Complex. The loss dropped the War Hawks to 8-9 overall and 4-5 in the ASC, while the Cowboys upped their record to 14-4 and 8-1 in ASC bouts.
 
But unlike last season – when Hardin-Simmons topped McMurry by 42 points on its home floor – the experienced HSU squad had to wait until the waning moments to dispatch the young War Hawks team. While the hosts led the bulk of the game, they could not shake McM. McMurry trailed by as much as 14 points (72-58) with 9:22 left to play, before mounting its comeback.
 
Over the next eight minutes, the War Hawks whittled down the deficit. With 1:40 left in the contest, Krishawn Terry drained a three-point basket to draw McM to within a single point, 84-83.  HSU missed a pair of shot attempts and then the War Hawks' Kaan Yilmaz had a layup blocked. That was followed by a Cowboys' jumper made by Christian O'Neal (29 points) with 29 seconds left to make it 86-83.
 
McM's Luke Stephenson missed a potential game-tying three-point basket and HSU added a free throw made in the final moments for the final 87-83 score.
 
Darius Watts led McMurry with 18 points, connecting on 5-of-10 from the floor, including three from long distance. He was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line, as well.
 
Junior forward LaRandall Scroggins had 14 points and six rebounds.  Nate Estrada and Calvin McGee each chipped in 11 points, with McGee tallying nine of his points in the first half to help McM stay within a 47-42 margin at the intermission.
 
Estrada and McGee had seven and six rebounds, respectively. Krishawn Terry cleaned the glass to the tune of a team-leading nine rebounds for McM, also scoring seven points off the bench. Yilmaz had five boards and nine points.
 
Stephenson finished with nine points, as well, for the War Hawks.