With a gym full of almost 800 people, Tarleton State University’s men’s basketball team finished out their final 2013 home game with a record of 8-0. Tarleton took on the McMurry Warhawks Tuesday, Dec. 17, and won the game by five with a final score of 89-83.

Tarleton only shot 37.3 percent from the field, but was able to make 41-54 free throws and the defense forced McMurry to commit 22 turnovers.

The game was tied at 6 all early in the game, but free throws by Mohammed Lee, a jump shot by Alex Lewis, and a layup from Damion Clemons gave the Texans back the lead.

The Warhawks managed to tie up the game again at 17-17 with 12:19 left in the first half. The lead went back and forth, but never by more than four points.

Tarleton and McMurry went into the half tied at 38 points, each.

The second half was the same as the first and continued to go back and forth.

Coleman Furst started out the half with a 3-pointer, but McMurry was able to answer with one of their own.

The two teams would come to a tie four more times in the first 10 minutes of the second half. McMurry was unable to get a lead by more than two points, while the Texans weren’t able to get the lead by more than five.

More ties and more lead changes continued throughout the second half until free throws managed to make the difference in the outcome of the game.

Tarleton wasn’t able to get a lead by more than five until Mabry went to shoot his second of two free throws with four seconds left to play, giving the Texans their six point lead to win.

Mabry was the lead scorer with 20 points from the bench. Damion Clemons scored a career-high 13 points from the bench, also. Guy led the starters with 11 points.

This is the sixth straight game the Texans have defeated McMurry dating back to 1992.

Tarleton’s 15-game home win streak is currently tied for the fourth longest in school history.

The Texans next games will be in Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 21 and 22 in the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic. Their first game will be Saturday against Central Washington at 1 p.m. and game two will be against Western Washington on Sunday at 5 p.m.