Box Score

McMurry jumped out early and used a 25-point performance from Maigen Sawyer to dominate the Hardin-Simmons Cowgirls at Kimbrell Arena Saturday night, 72-45. The No. 11-ranked McMurry team scored the first 10 points of the contest and led for the duration of the game to move to 6-1 overall and remain perfect in the American Southwest Conference.

After the 10-0 run, McMurry continued to shoot well and shot 64 percent for the first half. McMurry led 41-26 at the half and Sawyer had four of her school-record tying six 3-pointers in the first half. She's no stranger to the single-game record for 3-pointers – the record is her own, she set it Feb. 27, 2006.

In the second half, head coach Veronica Snow was able to empty her bench and give her starters a rest against a team that usually takes McMurry down to the wire. However, even with the bench getting a lot of playing time, McMurry was able to keep the Cowgirls at bay and outscored them 31-19 in the second period.

Tarra Richardson also had a solid game with 15 points and five rebounds. She was six of 10 from the field and had a game-high four steals from the post position while dishing out three assists.

Sawyer, however, was the story for McMurry. After a 1 for 23 start from behind the 3-point arc to begin the year, the last two games, she's hit 11 of 16 from deep. She was 9 of 13 from the field, made her only free throw and grabbed four defensive boards.

The McMurry defense held HSU to just 31.3 percent shooting on the night and 25 percent from 3-point range. The Cowgirls had two players in double figures. Bo Warm scored the first eight points for Hardin-Simmons and finished with 14 while Ashley Allen had 10 points and five steals.

Hardin-Simmons had 33 turnovers, which McMurry turned into 32 points. McMurry struggled with ball control as well, but still had nine less than the Cowgirls at 24.

McMurry won't play again until Dec. 17 when it faces Louisiana College on the road. Two days later the team will play Mississippi College on the road. Hardin-Simmons fell to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in ASC play.