ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University lost first round to the women's basketball version of the renewal of the "Crosstown Showdown," as Hardin-Simmons University scored a 68-61 win at Kimbrell Arena before a crowd of 1,079.
 
The War Hawks – winners of two of their last three games coming in – fell to 4-13 overall with the setback.  The Cowgirls improved to 7-11.
 
McMurry senior Taylor Russell led all scorers by booking 22 points, for her 16th-consecutive game in double-digit scoring.  Russell narrowly missed another double-double by also hauling in nine rebounds. She connected on 8-of-16 shots from the field.
 
As a matter-of-fact, it was a three-ball by Russell with1:03 left to play in the fourth quarter that got the War Hawks to within five points, 66-61. Unfortunately, McM could not slice any more off the Cowgirls' lead down the stretch.
 
Junior guard Haley Welch hit 4-of-10 from the floor – and 2-for-6 from beyond the arc – to finish the day with 14 points. She was also 4-for-4 from the free throw stripe and grabbed three rebounds.
 
Sophomore Sham Hunter had her third double-double of the year with11 points and 11 rebounds. For Hunter, she now has six-straight games with double figures in rebounds.
 
Chelsie Lail's seven points, along with four from Sierra Maykus and three from Amye Templeton, rounded out McMurry's scoring.
 
While HSU led for the bulk of the first half, the guests could not push their advantage past single digits, leading at the intermission by a slim 29-28 margin.  A three-point play by Russell at the 7:40 juncture of the third quarter gave the War Hawks their last lead of the game, 33-31.  With 2:34 left in the third, the Cowgirls finally reached a double-digit lead and holding the upper hand the rest of the way.
 
McMurry will next host Concordia University-Texas on Thursday (Jan. 28) at 5:30 p.m. in Kimbrell Arena.