BELTON, Texas – McMurry women's basketball suffered its third-consecutive defeat – all on the road – with its 76-60 setback at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. The War Hawks are now 1-4 on the year, while the Crusaders improved to 3-0.
 
McM found itself out-manned – literally – by UMHB, which played a total of 19 players in the game. The Cru was able to parlay its fresh lineups into a huge advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the War Hawks by a 47-33 margin.
 
UMHB was also deadly from long distance, dialing up 11 three-point baskets, compared to five for McM.
 
McMurry kept things close for the bulk of the first half of play. A pair of free throws by Taylor Russell knotted the score at 26-26 with 5:45 left to play in the half.
 
But that would be all the scoring the War Hawks would see for a while as UMHB went on a 15-0 run stretching into the first minute of the second half. The Cru led 38-26 at the intermission and opened the second stanza with a trey for a 41-26 margin.
 
UMHB would extend that to 22 points with 8:55 left to play. But McM kept coming at UMHB and when Taylor Neal hit one of two free throws with 6:15 left on the clock, McM had gotten to within 12, 62-50.
 
But McMurry could get no closer as the Cru kept McMurry at bay the rest of the way.
 
Neal had another fine outing, scoring a game-high 20 points. Neal was 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
 
Haley Welch had her best game in her first season with McM, pouring in 17 points.  Welch produced good shooting from every area, going 5-of-8 from the field, 2-of-2 from three-point range and 5-for-5 on free throws.
 
Adijatu Disu and Mishae Roper each corralled six rebounds to lead McMurry. Welch and Russell had five caroms, apiece. 
 
Disu and Russell each had four assists, as well.