ABILENE, Texas – A third quarter rally by the McMurry University women's basketball team was not enough to overcome a sluggish first half, as the team dropped a 65-50 decision to Centenary College at Kimbrell Arena.
 
The CC Ladies (3-2) led 15-9 after one quarter and 31-17 at the intermission. The War Hawks (0-3) would score more in the third stanza than in the first two periods combined, out-dueling Centenary 19-14, to trail 45-36. But McM could not make up any more ground in the fourth period.
 
Senior center Taylor Russell registered her second-consecutive double-double game with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Russell was 3-of-6 from the field and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw stripe. She currently has a streak of 23-consecutive free throws made (with her last miss coming in the first quarter of the season opener at Wayland Baptist).
 
Russell also had two assists and three steals.
 
Junior guard Haley Welch and senior guard Sierra Maykus each scored 13 points. Welch was 6-for-16 from the floor, passing off for a game-leading six assists, making three steals and hauling in seven rebounds.
 
Maykus connected on 4-of-17 shots overall and was 3-for-10 from beyond the arc. Maykus was 2-for-2 from the charity stripe and grabbed three boards.
 
Sophomore transfer Sham Hunter had six points and eight rebounds in her 34 minutes of work, before fouling out.  Amye Templeton and Alex McIntosh each chipped in two points to round out the McM scoring. Templeton also had three steals.
 
McMurry will try for its first win of the young season on Thursday (Dec. 3) versus East Texas Baptist University. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. in Marshall.