Box Score
BELTON - McMurry didn't lead until late in the second half, but the No. 9 team in the nation closed the regular season strong with a 61-54 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton Saturday. Trailing 54-50 with 4:46 remaining, McMurry closed the door with an 11-0 run to end the game including seven points from Amber Horton who finished with a career high 17 points.
The junior from Mansfield, Horton, made a layup with 2:29 remaining to bring the McMurry deficit to one point at 54-53. Then, she hit two free throws with 1:49 left to put McMurry on top for only its second lead of the game at 55-54. And after UMHB had trouble putting the ball in the hole to take the lead back, she hit three of her final four free-throw attempts to help seal the game.
McMurry improved to 22-3 overall and finished American Southwest Conference play with a 19-2 record. The team will enter next week's ASC Tournament as the No. 2 seed from the west division and will play UT-Dallas at 6 p.m. in Tyler on Friday night.
Mary Hardin-Baylor was trying to assure its spot in the tournament as it was fighting Concordia-Texas for the fourth and final spot from the west division side. Even with the loss, the Crusaders picked up the fourth spot because CTX lost to Hardin-Simmons and UMHB held the tiebreaker over the Lady Tornados.
Horton was 5 of 9 from the floor and got help from Tarra Richardson who had 16 points, eight boards and three blocks. Allison Nelson had eight points while backup point guard Dominique Brown led the team with 11 rebounds off the bench.
Freshman Landie Thompson was outstanding for UMHB in the loss with 20 points and 21 rebounds. Her teammate Kallie White was the only other player in double figures with 11 points.
Neither team shot well as McMurry finished the game at 35 percent for the contest. However after a slim 32-30 halftime lead, UMHB shot just 24 percent in the second half and McMurry was able to take advantage.
McMurry's conference record was the second best in school history next to the 2005-06 squad's 20-1 mark. Last season's team finished at 18-3 in league play. McMurry will look for its first conference title since 2006 headed into next week's conference tournament.
