RANGER, Texas — Murray State College picked up a hard-fought road win on Friday evening to close out the Ranger Classic. The Aggies went 2-0 in the classic with wins over Weatherford College on Thursday and Ranger College this evening.
The Aggies jumped out to a 24-9 lead midway through the first half to quiet the home crowd. The Rangers, though, closed the half on a 19-7 run to take a one point lead heading into the half.
The game stayed as a one possession game for the first six minutes, until Murray State took a four point lead, 47-43. With just under nine minutes to go, the Aggies held on to a three point lead, 59-56. A 10-0 run by the visitors from Tishomingo would put Murray State up by double figures with five minutes to play. The Rangers would cut the lead to a two possession game, but the Aggies hit crucial free throws down the stretch and got key defensive rebounds to earn an 83-76 road victory on Friday evening.
Tayesen Combs powered the Aggies with a game-high 24 points, knocking down six threes on an efficient 8-for-13 shooting night.
Ashton Smith was equally impressive, scoring 20 points while going 9-of-10 from the free-throw line and adding three assists.
Domantas Šarauskas added 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting, while
Malachi Schilreff delivered a huge all-around performance with 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals across 36 minutes.
Aymen Kraria anchored the interior with 10 rebounds and a team-high 10 assists, recording an impressive double-double. His passing and control of the offense were instrumental in the Aggies' second-half push.
Off the bench,
Abeeng Agot provided a spark with eight points, and
Devon MacCollister chipped in four more.
As a team, Murray State shot 48.2% from the field and hit 10 three-pointers. The Aggies also dished out 21 assists on 27 made baskets, showcasing excellent ball movement throughout the game.
The Aggies travel to Kansas to take on No. 10 Cowley College. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Assistant Sports Information Director: Jeremy Wagner | jwagner@mscok.edu
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