ABILENE, Texas – McMurry Women's Basketball is seeking its first American Southwest Conference win this weekend, closing a four-game home stand play with Howard Payne on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Sul Ross State on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Last week, the War Hawks (7-4, 0-3 ASC) dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, but will have two opportunities to remedy that with two of its most storied rivals, the Yellow Jackets (6-6, 2-1) on Jan. 9 and the Lobos (4-8, 2-1) on Jan. 11.
Live stats and live video are available for both games. Both links are the same for each game.
LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO
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LAST TIME OUT – McMurry dropped 11 three-pointers while limiting East Texas Baptist to two, but that would not be enough as the Tigers pulled a 75-66 victory in Kimbrell Arena. McMurry held a 36-30 lead at the half, but a 29-point third quarter gave ETBU the momentum and ultimately the win.
SCOUTING HOWARD PAYNE – The Yellow Jackets have won three of their last four games, including two conference wins over Sul Ross State and Louisiana College. The win over the Wildcats came in entertaining fashion, as HPU pulled out a 102-93 win in overtime. Junior guard Chelsey Harris leads the team with 14.5 points per game, while sophomore guard Lily Janek averages 9.6 PPG and owns the best three-point percentage in the ASC at 46.4 percent.
SCOUTING SUL ROSS STATE – The Lobos snapped a six-game skid last week with two tight conference wins, defeating Louisiana College in overtime, 63-59, and two days later knocking off Belhaven, 77-73. They are led by senior wing Chandre Nunez with 17.0 PPG and freshman post Kaylee Martinez with 9.6 PPG and 9.1 RPG. Martinez's 6.3 defensive rebounds per game rank second in the ASC behind only McM's Skyler Reyna.
SERIES HISTORY VS. HPU – In one of the ASC's most storied rivalries, HPU leads the all-time series, 51-31, since 1974-75. The Yellow Jackets have won seven of the last 10 in the series, including a season sweep of McMurry last season in two tight games. The last matchup in Abilene on Jan. 19, 2019 resulted in a 67-63 win for HPU. McMurry's last win came in 2018, edging HPU in Kimbrell Arena by a final of 70-69.
SERIES HISTORY VS. SRSU – McMurry owns a 58-29 advantage in the series since 1974-75. The War Hawks have won 23 of the last 24 games, only losing at home on Jan. 12, 2017 by a final of 67-64. The last loss to the Lobos before 2017 came all the way back in 2004. McMurry has won the last five games, including an 80-78 thriller in the last matchup in Alpine.
STARTING ON THE RIGHT FOOT – The War Hawks ended 2019 with a 7-2 overall record, marking McMurry's best nine-game start since opening 8-1 in the 2011-12 season.
OUTSIDE GAME – McMurry has proven to be an outside team this season, shooting 30.6 percent behind the arc (79-258) to rank second in the ASC. Defensively, the War Hawks are holding opponents to a league-low 22.0 three-point percentage, which ranks sixth best in the country.
WINNING THE BOARDS – The War Hawks have been powered by strong rebounding this season, ranking atop the ASC and 20th in the nation with 47.36 rebounds per game. Senior Skyler Reyna is currently the nation's 37th best rebounder, averaging an ASC-best 11.3 rebounds per contest.
REYNA RECORD WATCH – A four-year standout for McMurry, senior Skyler Reyna ranks second on the all-time career rebound list at 835. Last week, Reyna moved into fifth all-time with 1,248 career points. Tarra Richardson Kersh (2004-08) holds both records with 1,015 rebounds and 2,164 points.
TWO-TIME PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Skyler Reyna racked up three straight double doubles against Nebraska Wesleyan, TLU and Schreiner, earning American Southwest Conference Player of the Week honors two weeks in a row. In that span, Reyna averaged 25.3 points and 17.6 rebounds per contest.
YOUTH MOVEMENT – McMurry has 14 freshmen and one junior transfer on the 2019-20 roster, joining the returning senior duo of Sarah Doherty and Skyler Reyna and returning sophomore Brittany Rodgers. The average age of the team is 19.05 years old.
