ABILENE, TEXAS – A 2022-23 American Southwest Conference curtain-raiser that left fans inside Kimbrell Arena on the edge of their seats action-wise went the way of East Texas Baptist University Thursday, Dec. 1.

High-flying end-to-end dunks and a long-range shooting festival that featured 11 makes between both sides kept the outcome in doubt until the final minutes. Despite a sluggish first 20 minutes that saw the host War Hawks trailing 47-31 at the break, head coach Zach Pickelman's team answered the bell and battled to within 10 points at several stages in the second frame, even as close as seven (75-68) with two minutes remaining.

ETBU managed to hold off their hosts, posting the final four points at the charity stripe and not allowing the Maroon, Black, and White to register on the Kimbrell Arena scoreboard in the span to wrap up a 79-68 victory. Junior guard C.J. LeBlanc (Mesquite, Texas), senior guard Remy Minor (Chicago, Ill.), and junior forward/center Elias Garcia (Houston, Texas) led the points column for McMurry.

LeBlanc, the current co-ASC Player of the Week, again showed off his deft perimeter shooting skills, hitting four-of-seven chances en route to 16 points. He also dished out four assists and blocked a Tigers field goal attempt. Minor was white-hot early on from outside the arc, hitting his first three chances in the opening 20 minutes as part of an 11-point night, and he also was the team's top ball distributor (five assists). Garcia matched ETBU's imposing frontcourt with his own skills, putting a pair of memorable dunks towards a night in which he scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

McMurry (0-6, 0-1 ASC) welcomes LeTourneau University Saturday, Dec. 3. Game time is 3 p.m.