ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowboy basketball team outlasted the McMurry War Hawks 81-75 on Thursday night at McMurry in American Southwest Conference play.
 
The Cowboys bounced back with an ASC win after a tough trip last weekend dropping two games. HSU is now 17-5 and 9-3 in conference play. The Cowboys will host McMurry for Cowboy senior day on Saturday at the Mabee Athletic Complex.
 
It was a slow start at McMurry on Thursday night until the Cowboys hit a big run late in the half that included three 3-pointers from Austin Brewer in less than a minute. Hardin-Simmons led at the half 44-30.
 
The Cowboys never gave up the lead, but McMurry got within a point on a couple occasions, the last with ten minutes left at 58-57 Cowboys.
 
The War Hawks pulled it to 76-73 Cowboys with over a minute to go, but Jason Justice answered with a jumper to get the lead back to five points. A McMurry miss and Cowboy free throws iced the game for HSU with an 81-75 win.  
 
The Cowboys shot 44 percent going 30-67 from the field and held off the War Hawks shooting over 50 percent in the second half and winning the rebounding battle 43-36 over HSU.
 
Hardin-Simmons was led by Will Bartoszek with 20 points. Austin Brewer scored 18 points and led the team with seven rebounds. Brewer also had four blocks against McMurry.
 
Jason Justice scored 18 points for the Cowboys and five steals for the defense.
 
The Cowboys improve to 17-5 and 9-3 in the ASC and will host McMurry for Cowboy senior day on Saturday at 3 p.m. with senior day starting approximately 15 minutes before tip-off.
 
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