ABILENE, Texas – Sitting in third place in the American Southwest Conference women's basketball standings, McMurry University will try to use this weekend's games to erase the one-game deficit in the loss column that separates it from the ASC West pinnacle. The War Hawks (11-5, 9-3 ASC) will take their first crack at Schreiner University (6-11, 4-9 ASC) on Thursday at Kimbrell Arena (5:30 p.m.).
 
The Mountaineers currently sit in fifth in the ASC standings.
 
Schreiner's tandem of Olivia Swanner and Bailey Harris lead the team in scoring at 10.8 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Swanner's 8.3 rebounds per game also tops her team.
 
After a rough 0-6 start to the season, the Mountaineers turned the tide and have gone 6-5 since that time. Most recently, Schreiner dropped a 76-44 decision to ASC West Division co-leader Howard Payne last Saturday. While none of the Mountaineers managed double figure scoring in that game, Jasmin Copeland had nine points off the bench.
 
McM is in the midst of a three-game win streak, thanks to last week's victories over ASC West co-leader Concordia-Texas and Mary Hardin-Baylor.
 
McMurry is hoping to continue its hot streak and ride the coat tails of the reigning ASC West “Player of the Week,” Keshia Collins. Collins, a forward, is currently averaging 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game (both of which top the War Hawks).
 
Collins is fourth in the ASC statistics for scoring and 12^th in rebounds.
 
Guard M.J. Vickers had a tremendous week, leading the squad with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds versus UMHB. Both were season-high totals for Vickers, who is also a standout volleyball player for McMurry. She also tallied a total of seven steals in the two wins.
 
On the year, Vickers raised her averages to 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
 
The War Hawks' defense has been stellar as evidenced by the fact that the team ranks No. 28 in the nation in steals (4.4 s.p.g.), 26^th in rebound margin (+8.2 r.p.g.) and is 40^th in three-point field goal defense (24.2%).