ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University men's basketball team returns home for the first time in almost a month, when it plays host to the University of the Incarnate Word on Saturday, December 8.
The War Hawks (5-2) return to Kimbrell Arena after having lost back-to-back road games to Newman University and Arkansas-Fort Smith in their first two Heartland Conference contests. In their previous game against the Lions of UAFS, Kenny Williams scored a season-high for McM, putting in 28 points.
Williams, the reigning Heartland Conference and National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Player of the Week, leads the team - and is second in the conference - in points per game (20.4). He also leads the War Hawks in rebounds per game (6.7).
Antonio Bell is also scoring in double-digits for McMurry, averaging 11.4 points per game.
UIW comes into the week with a .500 record (4-4) having dropped its previous contest to St. Mary's, 71-61. Despite boasting five players that average double-figures, the Cardinals are still being outscored by their opponents by an average of 2.5 points per game.
Dionelle Rucker leads the charge for UIW, scoring an average of 19.1 points per game while shooting just over 54 percent from the floor. Kelcey Solomon (13.5), Denzel Livingston (11.9), Lyn'Dale Brown (11.4) and Anthony Horton (10.0) are all also averaging double-digits over the course of the season.
BY THE NUMBERS
23.2 … Williams' scoring average over the past four games. He has scored 20-plus points in three of his past four games, while scoring 19 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville.
58.9 … The War Hawks defense ranks first in the Heartland Conference in opponents' points per game, giving up just 58.9 ppg. The next closest team is Newman, which gives up 62.9 per contest.
27.1% … McMurry's defense allows its opponents to shoot just 27.1 percent from three-point range, the best in the conference.
36.4% … McM also leads the Heartland in overall field goal percentage defense, with opponents only converting 36.4 percent of the time.
+11.3 … The War Hawks rank first in the conference in rebounding margin. The team pulls down 40.0 rebounds per game while allowing teams to rebound at a 28.7 clip.
