ABILENE, Texas - Four McMurry University women's basketball players scored in double figures, but a late rally still came up short against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 69-66, at Kimbrell Arena.  The War Hawks fell to 4-15 and the Crusaders improved to 9-10.
 
McM led at the end of the first quarter by three points, 24-21, but would trail at the half six, 41-35.  Neither team put up much offense in the third quarter, as the Cru extended their lead to 54-44, before the War Hawks rallied in the fourth and final period.
 
With 8:57 left to play, UMHB held its largest lead of the game at 12 points (58-46). But McMurry's Haley Welch scored the next four points as the War Hawks went on an 11-2 run to close the gap to three points, 60-57, with 5:03 left.
 
McM hung close down the stretch. Sierra Maykus' layup with 10 seconds left to play got McMurry within a single point, 67-66.  UMHB called a timeout and, upon inbounding the ball, the Crusaders' Kourtney Bevers was fouled. Bevers made both free throws to make it 69-66.  But McM was unable to tally on its last possession as the clock ran out on the comeback bid.
 
Maykus finished then game with a career-high – and game-leading – total of 22 points. Maykus was 8-of-13 from the floor – 4-for-8 from beyond the arc – and was 2-of-2 on free throws.  She also had three rebounds, three assists and two stills.
 
McM's Taylor Russell booked her 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Russell also had two assists, two steals and a block before fouling out.
 
Welch finished the day with 15 points, buoyed by a 6-for-6 effort from the charity stripe. Sham Hunter was to fourth double-figure scorer for the War Hawks, with 13 points.
 
Hunter pulled down nine boards and blocked two shots, as well as dishing off a game-leading seven assists.
 
McMurry will next play host to Howard Payne University on Thursday (Feb. 4) at 5:30 p.m.