Abram Choate, SID
ABILENE, Texas – The Yellow Jackets were out-rebounded 47–34 in the game by the Indians of McMurry University on Thursday and fall 116-97.
Howard Payne took an early lead 14-5 on great inside play by Jr. F Sean Wheeler(Lake View HS). Jr. G Kendrick Johnson(Willowridge HS) got a dunk to make in 25-16 on a back door pass from Sr. C Cliff McGuire(Haskell HS) at 13:10 on the clock. McMurry tied the game at 33-33 on a 3-pointer by Terence Mirabal with 7:50 left in the half. The Yellow Jackets built another lead to 9 (44-35) on a fast-break lay-up by Kendrick Johnson with 6:05 to play. The Indians took the lead for the first time in the game 51-50 on a 3-pointer by Mirabal with 41 seconds remaining in the half. McM was up 54-52 going into the locker room at the half
Sr. G Matt Zinser(Burnet HS) scored the first basket of the second half to tie the score at 54-54. McM then built a 7 point lead to 69-62 with 14:06 to play. Howard Payne chipped away at the lead bringing it to 82-80 McM with 6:52 remaining. The Indians extended their lead to 7 again on two free-throws by Mirabal. The Yellow Jackets were unable to get back in the game as the Indians go away with it in the end winning 116-97.
Leading scorers for Howard Payne were Kendrick Johnson with a career high 35 points. Sean Wheeler had 23 points and Cliff McGuire had another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Matt Zinser had 14 points with 5 steals.
For McMurry, Elijah Bryant and Alvin Stevens both had 20 points. Terence Mirabal had 19. Colina and Brashears had 17 and 16 points respectively. Baker and Faught both had 10, and Baker was the Indians leading rebounder with 12.
The Yellow Jackets play on the road this Saturday at Hardin-Simmons at 3:00pm.
