BROWNWOOD, Texas – The McMurry University gave American Southwest Conference Wet Division leader Howard Payne University an early scare but, in the end, lost a 72-59 decision at the Brownwood Coliseum. The loss left the War Hawks with a 6-14 overall record (2-10 ASC), while the Lady Jackets improved to 13-8 on the year (10-2 ASC).
 
McM came out of the gate fast, leading by double digits at the 4:12 point of the first quarter, 14-4. But HPU could use the media timeout to regroup and, by the end of the quarter, trailed the War Hawks by a bucket, 16-14.
 
As fast as the McM team opened the game, it was equally cold at the outset of the second quarter. The War Hawks did not score their first points of the period until the 3:42 mark. By the halftime break, the Lady Jackets had parlayed the slow start into a 28-23 lead over McMurry.  In the third segment, McM got itself to within a single possession, 47-45, heading into the final quarter.
 
Unfortunately for the upset-minded War Hawks, Howard Payne's experience began to show as it out-scored the visitors in the final ten minutes, 25-14, to ice the win.
 
Junior guard Sham Hunter rolled up her fifth double-double of the season in the loss.  Hunter tallied 13 points and 14 rebounds (10 on the defensive end). Hunter connected on 5-of-14 from the field, including a pair of three-point baskets. She also had two blocks and two steals inn her 39 minutes on the court.
 
Freshman forward Skyler Reyna matched Hunter with 13 points, hitting 5-of-12 from the floor and converting both free throw attempts. Reyna also had two steals on the defensive end.
 
Senior guard Haley Welch was McMurry's third double-figure scorer with 10 points. Welch earned four of her points (in five tries) from the free throw stripe.
 
Freshman London Weilert finished with a creditable eight points and six boards. Rhianna Jones and Isabel Carrion had five and four points, respectively, while Amye Templeton and Sarah Doherty each contributed three points.