BROWNWOOD, Texas – McMurry University Men's Basketball dropped a heartbreaker Saturday afternoon, falling to Howard Payne University, 78-77, at the Brownwood Coliseum.
It was a back-and-forth affair between the division foes, as the lead changed 14 times and was tied nine times. The largest lead for either team was seven points, a margin McM held multiple times in the second half.
The War Hawks (7-16, 4-10 ASC) led 64-57 just past the halfway point of the second half, but the Yellow Jackets responded with a 15-3 run over the next four minutes to take a 72-67 advantage.
Trailing 77-71, junior guard Khalil Butler knocked down a triple to make it a one possession game. As the Yellow Jackets missed their free throws down the stretch, Butler made a second three with 16 seconds left to pull McM within 78-77.
Howard Payne then missed both free throws of the double bonus with eight seconds left, but Butler's shot at the buzzer missed wide, sending the Yellow Jackets home with the narrowest of victories.
HPU led 6-0 out of the gate, but McMurry quickly answered and took its first lead at 12-11. After the Yellow Jackets took the lead back, the game seesawed back up and down until McM took a 35-30 lead with 3:39 remaining.
But with as even as the first half was, the teams went into the break tied at 43. The teams traded the lead once again in the opening minutes before McM grabbed its biggest lead at 58-51 on a layup by senior forward Mike Williams Jr.
Senior guard Dedrick Berry Jr. led the War Hawks with 18 points, and grabbed five boards as well from the point guard spot. Butler was second with 16 points with eight boards. Senior forward Krishawn Terry and Williams added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Both Williams and Terry had nine rebounds.
McMurry held the edge on the glass, 52-44, including 18-9 on the offensive end. McM shot 44.4 percent in the first half, but one again struggled in the second half, shooting 32.5 percent. For the game, McMurry shot 38.2 percent.
Despite the loss, the War Hawks remain just one game behind Mary Hardin-Baylor for the fourth and final spot in the ASC West Division.
McMurry will close out the regular season next week at the University of the Ozark and UT Dallas. Tipoff for Thursday's contest at Ozarks is slated for 7:30 p.m.
