SQUADRON DEFEAT SPURS IN WIRE-TO-WIRE FASHION, 113-106

[caption id="attachment_1763" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] BIRMINGHAM, AL - JANUARY 23 : Trey Murphey #25 of the Birmingham Squadron goes for an easy two hand slam. Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images)[/caption]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (January 23, 2022) – The Birmingham Squadron (2-4), NBA G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans, defeated the Austin Spurs (2-3) in a 113-106 wire-to-wire victory Sunday night.

The Squadron took the first lead of the game and never gave it up, leading by as many as 26 in the contest. Birmingham got a major boost from two NBA assignments from the New Orleans Pelicans, forwards Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall. The pair gave a spark to the Squadron, combining for 59 points, more than half of the team’s total.

Murphy led the team with 33 points and notched a double-double with 11 rebounds. The first-round draft pick out of Virginia shot .481 from the field on 13 of 27 attempts and added three assists and three steals in the contest.

Marshall put up 26 points on seven of 16 attempts (.438) and also finished with a double-double, posting a team-high 13 rebounds along with four assists.

Guard Jared Harper was the third Squadron player to score over 20 in the game – the Auburn product put up 21 points on nine of 16 attempts (.563) and added five rebounds, a team-high nine assists, three steals and one block.

Both starting guards for Austin, Josh Primo and Jaylen Morris, led the team in scoring with 24 points a piece. Morris finished with a double double, adding 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal. Primo added three rebounds four assists and one steal.

The Squadron play again tomorrow night at Legacy Arena, facing the Oklahoma City Blue at 7:00 p.m. CT.

###