ABILENE, Texas - A gritty effort from the McMurry University men's basketball team hit the wall late in the game, falling to Southwestern University, 85-74, in a non-conference bout at Kimbrell Arena. The War Hawks fell to 4-7, while the Pirates improved to 4-6 overall.
 
The first half was a donnybrook in which neither team led by more than six points. The opening segment featured five ties and 14 lead changes. The War Hawks were on top 35-29 with 1:43 remaining in the first half. But the Pirates closed with a 7-0 run to lead at the intermission, 36-35.
 
The two clubs continued the close battle early in the second period, with the Pirates clinging to a slim margin. With 16:43 left to play, senior Aaron Gettys took a perfect pass from Luke Stephenson and laid the ball in to knot the game at 43-43, the sixth tie of the bout.
 
SU extended again over the next three minutes to lead by nine, only to have the War Hawks claw back to within a single possession. That cycle repeated three more times over the course of the period. With less than three minutes to play, the wear-and-tear of fighting back began to show on McM as the Pirates reached a double-digit cushion late.
 
Senior LaRandall Scroggins led a quintet of War Hawks with double-digit scoring totals.  Scroggins had a team-leading 13 points, while hauling in six rebounds and blocking two shots. He hit 6-of-13 from the floor.
 
Zacc Carter and Stephenson each registered 11 points. Carter was 5-for-9 shooting and Stephenson went 4-for-13.
 
Shakur Smith and Mike Williams Jr. each tallied 10 points. Smith went 3-for-5 from the floor – including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. Williams was 2-for-3 from the floor. Both were perfect from the free throw line, with Smith hitting 2-of-2 and Williams 6-of-6.
 
Williams had a team-leading seven rebounds and Smith pulled down five caroms.
 
The loss was the fourth in a row for McM.  Three have been versus non-conference foes.
 
The War Hawks will next be in action on Thursday (Jan. 4), returning to American Southwest Conference action by hosting LeTourneau University (7:30 p.m.) at Kimbrell Arena.