ABILENE, Texas – The four-game home stand for McMurry University Men's Basketball to open 2020 continues Thursday and Saturday as the War Hawks host Howard Payne University and Sul Ross State University inside Kimbrell Arena.
McMurry will square off with the Yellow Jackets Thursday at 7:30 p.m. while tipoff against the American Southwest Conference West Division leading Lobos is set for 3 p.m. Saturday. Live stats and video links will be available at mcmurrysports.com.
NOTES:
LAST WEEK: The War Hawks split their first two ASC home games of the year, defeating LeTourneau 91-86 before falling to East Texas Baptist, 92-77.
BALANCED ATTACK: McMurry has seven players averaging more than 9.0 points per game, with five averaging more than 10 per game. Senior forward Mike Williams Jr. leads the way with 11.8 points per contest.
HOT HANDS: Freshman guard Cody LeBlanc scored 17 consecutive points for McMurry in its loss to ETBU Saturday, including five triples. Senior guard Dedrick Berry Jr. scored a career-high 26 points on his birthday in the win over LeTourneau.
SEEING DOUBLE: Both Williams and junior guard Khalil Butler had double-doubles in the win over LeTourneau. Williams tallied 14 points and 11 boards, while Butler scored 18 points to go with a team-high 13 rebounds. Williams now has three double-doubles on the year and Butler two. Senior forward Krishawn Terry has one double-double this season.
BERRY HONORED: Senior guard Dedrick Berry Jr. was named the ASC West Division Player of the Week for his performances in the Rhodes Christmas Classic. Over his last four games, Berry is averaging 17.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 boards and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 51.0 percent from the floor, including 45.4 percent from three.
AMONG THE ASC: Junior guard Colin Taylor leads the ASC in free throw percentage (87.2) while McM is second as a team at 73.5 percent. Butler is tied for second at 85.7 percent. Butler and Williams rank second and third in rebounding at 8.1 and 8.1 boards per game, respectively.
SCOUTING HPU: The Yellow Jacket offense runs through junior guard Jase Miguez, who is second in the ASC at 20.3 points per game. He has had two 40-point games this season. However, HPU enters the weekend just 1-11 and is last in the ASC in scoring offense and defense.
SCOUTING SRSU: Sul Ross leads the ASC West with a 3-0 start in conference play and is 6-6 overall. The Lobos boast the reigning ASC West Division Player of the Week in guard Tristen Licon. Forward Logan Dixon and Licon rank seventh and eighth in the ASC at 17.9 and 17.7 points per game, respectively.
THE SERIES: Howard Payne leads the all-time series 85-79, but McM has won three of the last four meetings, with the teams each winning at home last season. McMurry leads the series with Sul Ross 99-40, and swept the Lobos in 2018-19.
