ABILENE, Texas – A late rally did in the McMurry University women's basketball team, losing an American Southwest Conference home bout to Howard Payne University, 67-63, at Kimbrell Arena. The loss dropped the War Hawks to 6-13 overall and 3-7 in the ASC race, while the Yellow Jackets improved to 6-12 and 3-6 in the ASC.
McMurry had a good shooting afternoon, converting nearly 42 percent (22-53) from the floor and also better than 82 percent (14-17) from the free throw line. The problem for McM was that HPU was a blistering 51 percent (23-45) from the floor and 50 percent (6-12) from three-point range.
The War Hawks held a 14-11 lead after one quarter and still had a two-point advantage – 33-31 – at the half. The teams were knotted at 48-48 after the third stanza. The Yellow Jackets out-scored McMurry 19-15 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
The War Hawks led for nearly 29 minutes of the game and tied things up at 61-61 when
London Weilert popped a three-point basket. But HPU took the lead for good with just 21 seconds left to play, out-scoring McM down the stretch, 6-2.
Skyler Reyna's 11th double-double game of the season – and 30th of her McM career - led the War Hawks. Reyna went 4-of-6 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe on her way to 15 points, while also snaring 10 rebounds (nine on the defensive end). She also had three assists and two steals to her credit.
Junior guard
Isabel Carrion and Weilert finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Carrion hauled in seven rebounds and gave off four assists. Weilert had four assists, as did teammate
Sarah Doherty.
Doherty and
Brittany Rodgers both chipped in eight points.
Savannah Johnson booked six points and
Dominique Machuca two to round out the War Hawks' offense.
McMurry forced Howard Payne into 20 turnovers and generated nine steals as a team. Those turnovers resulted in 22 of the War Hawks' points.
McMurry will be idle until next Saturday (Jan. 26), when the squad travels to face crosstown foe Hardin-Simmons. Tipoff at the Mabee Complex is slated for 1 p.m.
