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TYLER, Texas — The University of the Southwest men's basketball turned in a gritty performance Thursday night inside Gus Taylor Gym, but despite a dominant showing on the boards and multiple late pushes, the Mustangs came up short in a 70–62 loss to Texas College.

Southwest out‑rebounded Texas College 51–32, including 21 offensive boards, which kept the Mustangs within striking distance throughout the night. Kevin Boone led that charge, collecting 20 rebounds alongside a team‑high 16 points, securing a double‑double that anchored Southwest on both ends of the floor.

EJay Scroggins also provided a strong interior effort, posting 12 points and 10 rebounds for a double‑double of his own. Jayvian Lawson added 9 points and 6 rebounds, while Isaac Warhurst contributed 9 points off the bench, hitting three critical threes that lifted the Mustangs during key stretches of the first half.

The game featured eight ties and nine lead changes as both teams traded momentum throughout. Southwest claimed its largest lead of the night, five points, midway through the first half, fueled by a 10–3 run that included buckets from Scroggins, Warhurst, and Boone. However, Texas College responded with a surge of its own, taking a 39–34 advantage into halftime.

Southwest opened the second half with energy, as Boone buried a three just seconds into the period to pull the Mustangs within two. The Mustangs briefly tied the game at 47–47 with 11:58 remaining after a layup and free throw from Scroggins, but Texas College answered with a string of inside finishes by Shaysten Cornish and Marcus Jones. Southwest remained within two possessions for much of the half before the Steers stretched the lead to double digits in the final minutes.

Despite the loss, Southwest showed measurable improvement on the defensive glass and interior scoring, outscoring Texas College 38–34 in the paint and generating 12 second‑chance points. The Mustangs also forced 13 points off turnovers while holding Texas College to just 22.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. 

However, cold perimeter shooting proved costly for Southwest, which finished 6–26 from three and 6–18 from the free‑throw line. Texas College capitalized at the stripe, converting 16–22 free throws, which ultimately created the separation on the scoreboard.

Southwest will look to regroup as it heads to Jarvis Christian on Saturday.

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