TYLER – Howard Payne's first 10 minutes was too much for McMurry to overcome and the Lady Yellow Jackets won their second consecutive American Southwest Conference title Sunday by defeating McMurry 77-55 at the Patriot Center. Both teams are likely headed to the NCAA Tournament, but HPU will enter with an undefeated record with a 28-0 record.
The Lady Yellow Jackets defeated McMurry for the third time in the 2007-08 season and the fifth-straight time overall. McMurry's regular season ends with a 24-4 record –same as last year. Hope Hohertz led HPU with a career-high 18 points and Tarra Richardson scored 22 points in the losing effort.
HPU began the game 9 of 12 from the floor and built a 28-12 lead out of the gate. McMurry settled the Lady Yellow Jackets down and held them to 10 points in the final 10 minutes but still trailed 38-30 at intermission.
However, in the second half, McMurry couldn't find its offensive rhythm and Howard Payne took advantage by outscoring McMurry 39-25 in the second period. HPU shot 64 percent in the second half while McMurry was just 41 percent and was 0 for 7 from 3-point land in the second half.
Not only was it the second-straight title for HPU, but also it was the team's third conference championship in the last four years. Meia Daniels and Kim Hoffman each had 14 points and Stacey Blalock added 13 points. Hohertz added nine boards to lead HPU, who out-rebounded McMurry 41-27.
The Lady Yellow Jackets shot well from 3-point land converting on 9 of 23 attempts for 39 percent. HPU's defense held McMurry to just 2 of 15 shooting from beyond the arc. The Lady Yellow Jackets reached the free-throw line 24 times and made 16 charity shots. McMurry was just 5 of 11 from the free-throw line.
Richardson was 9 of 15 from the field, had five boards and a block in the loss. Maigen Sawyer added 11 points; Amber Horton had three points and six assists.
The 2008 ASC all-tournament team consisted of Hardin-Simmons' Lindsey Newcombe, Mary Hardin-Baylor's Landie Thompson, and McMurry's Richardson & Maigen Sawyer were honored. HPU's Blalock, Hoffman and the MVP Meia Daniels made the team as well.
McMurry and HPU will figure out its tournament seedings either Saturday night or Sunday morning. Check McMurry's athletics web site for updates as McMurry's women prepares to head to its third-straight NCAA Tournament.
