ABILENE, Texas -- Seven YellowJackets secured double-digit points as LeTourneau men's basketball picked up a 95-89 overtime victory over McMurry.

LeTourneau became as efficient as ever once the game shifted to the extra period, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe, leading to the Sunday afternoon victory.

The win marks back-to-back overtime victories at Kimbrell Arena for the YellowJackets.

Jackson Mayes manned the driver's seat for LeTourneau (8-5, 3-1 SCAC), scoring 30 points on 11-of-18 (61%) shooting -- including 6-of-9 from downtown -- to net the win for the YellowJackets.

Max Frels followed with a career-best 19 points on 7-of-8 (87.5 %) from the field, while going a perfect 3-for-3 from long range. Both Mayes and Frels recorded six rebounds in the victory as well.

Cooper Smith and David Martinez garnered 11 points each, while Logan Brinkoeter and Jayden Prioleau added 10 apiece. The latter pair was a force on the defensive end as well, with Brinkoeter grabbing nine boards and stuffing three shots, while Prioleau played pickpocket, swiping three steals.

LeTourneau fell early, trailing 24-12 after the opening 10:28, but a Brinkoeter rejection led to a fastbreak triple for Mayes to begin the comeback. Frels knocked down a triple on the following shot attempts to chip away even more, and the 8-0 run was capped with a Mayes layup to cut the lead to just four. LeTourneau held the War Hawks (5-9, 0-4 SCAC) scoreless throughout the 4:06 stretch.

McMurry was able to extend the lead back to double-digits, and with a 32-22 deficit with 2:29 remaining, LeTourneau turned on the jets. The YellowJackets went on a 12-0 run to close out the first half, largely thanks to Prioleau going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field, accompanied by a pair of Mayes baskets. Prioleau dropped in a layup through the foul to give LeTourneau its first lead of the game heading into the break.

The second half was a back-and-forth contest, with both teams going 16-of-29 from the field. McMurry opened with a 10-2 run out of the gate, but LeTourneau answered with an 11-0 stretch of their own. Momentum traded throughout the half, with the lead changing 10 times over the final 6:05. 

McMurry's Jordan Malveaux converted the and-one bucket with 17 seconds remaining to tie the game at 76-76. Mayes' jumper rimmed out on the final possession, but not before Frels' putback rolled in, giving LeTourneau the lead with just a couple of seconds remaining. The War Hawks would not go home that easily, though, as Zack Rygg drove the court in those final seconds, banking in a layup at the buzzer to send the contest into overtime.

Martinez knocked down a triple on the opening play of the extra period, immediately followed by a Mayes block and 3-pointer of his own to give LeTourneau a quick six-point lead. McMurry would continue to answer, as the teams traded blows while LeTourneau held the slim lead.

The War Hawks knocked down back-to-back triples to cut the lead to one with 1:27 remaining, but Frels would not be fazed. The freshman found himself wide open on a backdoor cut, putting a layup through and icing the game.

Rygg led McMurry with 26 points in the contest, while Malveaux added 14 of his own.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau continues the SCAC road trip, taking on the Dallas Crusaders on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

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