ABILENE, Texas – A scoring drought during the final 2:30 by the McMurry University women's basketball's team versus the University of the Ozarks turned a three-point lead into a 61-58 home loss at Kimbrell Arena. The War Hawks fell to 2-11, while the Eagles improved to 5-3.
In a contest which featured eight ties and four lead changes, McM went up 58-55 with 2:33 left to play after a pair of
Taylor Russell free throws. But those would be the War Hawks' final points of the night as Ozarks tallied the final six points of the game.
Russell had another outstanding game for McMurry, registering her 10th double-double of the season (out of 13 games). Russell finished with team-leading totals of 17 points and 11 rebounds. For good measure, the senior also had a McM-best five assists to go along with a block.
Senior
Sierra Maykus and freshman
Chelsie Lail each scored 12 points, as the War Hawks' other double-digit scorers. Maykus hit 4-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-8 from three-point range, while also grabbing four boards and passing off for three assists.
Lail was an efficient 6-of-12 from the floor. She also snared eight rebounds and led McM with three steals. Lail also had a block among her final numbers.
Fellow freshman
Amye Templeton contributed eight points, eight rebounds and three assists. Sophomore transfer
Sham Hunter came off of the War Hawks' bench to pull down 10 rebounds and score seven points, along with two assists and a block.
McMurry took a 17-15 lead over the Eagles after one quarter of action. But Ozarks bounced back in the second stanza and carried a 25-23 advantage into the halftime locker room, extending that cushion to 45-40 through three quarters.
The War Hawks out-rebounded the Eagles by a 45-40 margin and also forced Ozarks into 16 turnovers (while making just 11 miscues of their own). The Eagles did hold a 34-26 advantage for points in the paint and held a commanding 23-7 total in bench scoring.
The War Hawks will next be in action on Saturday (Jan. 9), hosting the University of Texas at Dallas. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Kimbrell Arena.
