SHREVEPORT, La. – A fast start propelled the McMurry University women's basketball team to its first victory of the season, 67-57, in a non-conference road contest over Centenary College at the Gold Dome.  The War Hawks improved to 1-2 on the year, while the Ladies fell to 2-3.
 
McM actually led for nearly 38 minutes of the bout.  CC scored the first basket of the day, but the War Hawks would score more often after that and never trailed after Mackenzie Kimball's jumper made it 4-2 with 8:00 left in the first quarter.  McMurry opened the game with a 14-5 run to elicit a Centenary timeout, before finishing the first quarter leading 29-13. 
 
(The 29 points was McM's largest output of any quarter thus far this season.)
 
Centenary chipped away somewhat by the half.  But McMurry was able to take a comfortable 40-29 advantage into the locker room.  The Ladies got to within eight points in the third period, with McM able to stretch its lead to 13 by the end of the stanza, 56-43.
 
The War Hawks maintained a double-digit lead most of the balance of the game until a late Centenary charge.  CC reeled off three unanswered baskets late in the period to get to within seven, 61-54, with 2:35 left to play. But Centenary would get no closer, as a pair of free throws by London Weilert again gave the visiting McM squad a double-figure cushion and helped seal the win.
 
Kaymee Howell led all scorers with 18 points. Howell was 5-for-10 from the floor – including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc – and also connected on 4-of-5 free throw tries. She had a pair of steals and one assist in the 22 minutes on the floor.
 
Senior Halley Welch and sophomore Mackenzie Kimball each tallied 12 points, as the War hawks' other double-figure scorers. Welch had a 5-of-11 game shooting, while also pulling down a team best nine rebounds (along with teammate Skyler Reyna, who also grabbing nine caroms).  Welch had three steals and two assists, as well.
 
Reyna added six points, as did Sham Hunter off the McM bench.  Hunter and Isabel Carrion each had six rebounds, with Madison Davis hauling in five boards.
 
McM's London Weilert had a game high five assists.
 
McMurry enjoyed a 46-35 rebounding advantage for the game. The War Hawks hit 42 percent of their three-point attempts (14-23), compared to 22 percent by the Ladies (4-18).