SAN ANTONIO – No. 20 University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Men's Basketball improved to 9-0 Tuesday with a 79-65 win over Midwestern State in its opening game of the River City Holiday Classic.

The Lions used an 8-2 run to lead by 15 with 13:32 left before the Mustangs cut the lead to 56-52 with 8:15 remaining. UAFS responded with a 6-0 run to grow the lead back to double digits after a three by guard Jack Hoth.

UAFS never let the Mustangs get within seven the rest of the way as guard Christian Moore hit a three in the final seconds for the final margin. Moore led the Lions with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists.

The Lions only trailed on the opening basket of the game, as they quickly rattled off the next six points before leading 16-9. UAFS led by as many as 17 late in the first half after a pair of threes by guard Aiden Buckmon before taking a 39-26 lead into the locker room.

UAFS finished at 49.3 percent shooting and used its top-ranked three-point defense to hold the Mustangs to 27.3 percent from distance.

Four others joined Moore in double figures as guard Jarren McAllister posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds and forward Kameron Johnson added 11 points and nine boards. Guard Jack Hoth tallied 13 points while Buckmon finished with 10.

The Lions finished with a whopping 50 points in the paint and outscored the Mustangs, 14-5, in second chance points. UAFS forced 23 turnovers and scored 25 points off turnovers. Moore had four steals for the Lions while guard Brandon Scott had three.

UAFS finishes up the River City Classic Wednesday at 5 p.m. against UT Permian Basin, who beat Pittsburg State earlier in the day.