ABILENE, Texas – The W men's basketball rode off into the sunset with a loss or the second time in as many days of its Texas road trip, falling a McMurry University, 84-82, at Kimbrell Arena. The Owls fell to 1-2, while the Warhawks are now 2-2.
 
The two teams jockeyed back and forth the first half and the first four minutes of the second, with five lead changes and one tie in that span. With 16:27 left to play, however, it was McMurry taking the lead for good with a 9-0 run that took the score from a 44-44 tie, to a 53-44 Warhawks' advantage.
 
With 11:25 left, McM had a 10-point cushion at 59-49. But the Owls would still rustle up one final run. Four consecutive made free throws by Joe Haze Austin got MUW within a single point, 74-73, with 2:33 remaining. Back-to-back McMurry buckets pushed the deficit back to five (78-73) with 1:01 left.
 
After swapping points, a Jackson Reid layup with 19 tics left on the game clock had MUW to within one again, 80-79. After The W fouled, the Warhawks had a missed free throw on a one-plus-one, only to get their own offensive board. That forced MUW to keep fouling, with the Warhawks making their final four free throws to ice the game.
 
MUW's Devin McCaine shared high-point leader for the contest by booking 26. McCaine tied an Owls' single game record (accomplished three times before) with six three-point baskets made (in eight tries), while hitting 10-of-15 from the floor, overall.
 
Reid, who is from New Braunfels, Texas, had a nice state homecoming with 20 points.
Reid was 7-of-11 from the floor and 5-for-6 from the free throw line, along with one trey.
 
Austin added 15 points, to go along with three assists and four steals. Austin also had a team-leading five rebounds, as the Warhawks held a 44-30 margin on the glass.
 
Shephard finished with eight points and Trent Walker six.
 
The W will next play on November 21 at Millsaps College at 6 p.m. in Jackson.