Patriots start conference season at 4-0

The Patriots remain undefeated in conference play after back-to-back home wins last week over Hardin-Simmons (80-66) and McMurry (66-22).

The wins marked the first time in program history the Patriots began conference play 4-0. Saturday’s game against McMurry wasn’t easy. McMurry senior Jonathan Walker proved to be the Patriots’ biggest threat by scoring eight of McMurray’s first 10 points.

The Patriots fought back with senior guard Anthony Reese scoring eight consecutive points. The lead seesawed throughout the half with eight lead changes and seven ties with the largest lead being only four points.

The half ended with the Patriots down 35-32 after McMurry guard Robert Moreno drained a three from half court.

McMurry’s Walker led all players with 17 points in the first half, shooting 7-10 from the floor and making both attempted threes. Reese led the Patriots with 13 points.

The second half started just like it ended with each team answering the other. However, with 17 minutes left McMurry went on a 9-1 run and took a 50-42 lead.

The Patriots went almost six minutes without scoring and got back in the game with 11 minutes when they started their own 12-1 run. They took the lead back with 8:58 left thanks to back-to-back threes from Larry Ware and Brent Creacy.

Play remained tight for the remainder of the game with each team trading baskets. Eventually McMurry regained the lead with just less than two minutes left in the game. The Patriots retook the lead 40 seconds later with the help of some key offensive rebounds and a corner three from Marlon Hill.

After a McMurry offensive foul and long three from Reese as the shot clock ran out, the game was all but over. McMurry was forced to foul, which left them with little time to score.

The Patriots closed out the game and sent McMurry home with a loss.

Reese led all scorers with 24 points and had six rebounds as well. McMurry had three players in double figures with Walker leading the team with 23 points.

Patriots’ coach Kenny Bizot attributed the win to big offensive rebounds late in the game and to Reese’s play.

With the loss, McMurry fell to 2-1 in conference play and 2-2 overall.

Patriots vs. Hardin-Simmons.

Thursday night’s game began with junior forward Hakeem Kareem stealing the show for the Patriots, scoring seven of the Patriot’s first nine points.

The Cowboys stuck with the Patriots however, thanks to Mark Schlott, who hit a pair of threes to give the Cowboys a 17-14 lead.

The Patriots would regain the lead later in the half largely due to sophomore Michael Johnson, who hit three consecutive three-pointers to give the Patriots a 27-21 lead with about six minutes left in the half.

The Cowboys refused to go away however. Terrence Willis and Steven Luckey of the Cowboys took over for their team scoring the last 15 points of the half.

The first half ended with the Patriots leading 37-34. Johnson led the team with 17 points in the first half with Willis leading the Cowboys with 10 points.

The Patriots started the second half with a 13-2 run and never relinquished the lead.

The Patriots continued to play well on both ends of the court, especially on the offensive end by shooting 64.3 percent in the 2nd half.

The team shot 50 percent for the game and finished with four people scoring in double figures. Johnson led the scoring for the Patriots with 22 points, which is a career high. He was 8-14 from the floor and 5-8 from behind the arc.

Kareem set his own career high with 11 rebounds. He also had 14 points, giving him his second double-double of the year.

By Clay Ihlo Staff Writer