ABILENE, Texas – The Howard Payne University men's basketball team fell short on its late push 83-80 at McMurry University Thursday evening at Kimbrell Arena.

Despite outrebounding McMurry 45-36, the Yellow Jackets shoot just 62% from the free-throw line while McMurry hit 84.6% which proved to be the difference in the 83-80 final.

Finding themselves down by as much as nine midway through the second half, the Jackets pulled to within two with three minutes remaining. A Thomas Bingham layup with 3:01 left made it 75-73 McMurry.

A Khyce Randall three-pointer with 17 seconds left cut the McMurry lead again to two points, 80-78, but McMurry would hit 3 of 4 free-throws in the final seconds to claim the game 83-80.

Khyce Randall scored a game high 29 points along with five rebounds and four assists for the Yellow Jackets. Rickey Guillory had 10 points and Thomas Bingham had eight points and 10 rebounds.

???????McMurry was led by Luke Stephenson with 25 points and 10 rebounds. LaRandall Scroggins added 18 points.

Howard Payne is now 8-14 overall and 4-10 in American Southwest Conference play. McMurry now stands at 8-14 overall and 6-9 in league action. The Jackets will be at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas on Saturday at 4:00 pm