GEORGETOWN, TEXAS- Howard Payne traveled to play the Pirates in the Robertson Center for Men's Basketball home opener for the 2023-24 season. 

The YellowJackets entered the contest 2-1 and the Pirates were looking for their first preseason victory. Much of the first half was back and forth, with both teams matching each other's points. Nick Crump entered the game and immediately hit a 3-pointer, giving the Pirates a 5-point lead halfway through the first half. The YellowJackets went on a run and extended their lead to 9 points, but some key steals by the Pirate's guards and excellent post play from Brock Luechtefeld allowed the Pirates to enter halftime only down by 2. 

The Pirates shot 46% from the field in the first half but struggled to maintain that in the second, shooting just 25% and 11% from 3-pointers. The YellowJackets took advantage of the missed shots and turnovers and outscored the Pirates 39-22 in the second half. 

Brock Luchtefeld finished with 22 points, going 9-10 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line. 

NEXT UP:

The Pirates will host the Paul Peak Classic on Saturday and Sunday, November 18th and 19th. Their first game will be against Claremont-Mudd-Scrips at 4:00 PM CST on Saturday.