ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University women's basketball program is scheduled to make its regular season debut on Tuesday, as the War Hawks officially begin at home against long-time foe Sul Ross State at Kimbrell Arena. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.
Due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Abilene this month, Tuesday's home game will be played without fans inside the arena. Players, coaches and essential game day personnel will be the only people in attendance, adhering to recommended masking and social distancing guidelines where possible.
The game day protocols will be re-evaluated prior to McMurry's next home basketball games on Jan. 21, 2021 against Concordia-Texas.
Tuesday's contest will not count towards either team's American Southwest Conference record, but rather as a regular season non-conference game.
LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO
RECORDS
McM: 0-0, 0-0 ASC
SRSU: 0-3, 0-0 ASC
NOTES
LAST SEASON – The War Hawks finished 9-16 overall last year, opening strong with wins in six of its first seven regular season games. The injury-riddled squad endured a 12-game losing streak to close the season, but still went on to finish with a 7-7 record inside Kimbrell Arena. Graduated seniors Skyler Reyna and Sarah Doherty were two of the top three scorers from that season at 16.9 and 8.5 points per game.
SCOUTING THE LOBOS – Sul Ross State seeks its first win on Tuesday, entering with an 0-3 record with losses to UT Dallas, East Texas Baptist and NCAA DI Incarnate Word. Sully is no stranger to Kimbrell Arena this year, facing two of its three opponents during the ASC Crossover at McMurry. Junior Alexis Carmosino leads the team with 13.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game in two games. Fellow junior Cassie Hogan has started all three games and scores at 10.3 PPG, while sophomore Vania Hampton leads the team with 8.0 RPG and adds 9.3 PPG.
SERIES HISTORY VS. SUL ROSS – McMurry owns a 59-30 advantage in the series dating back to 1974-75. The War Hawks have won 24 of the last 26 games, but did lose the last meeting in Alpine, 77-64. McMurry has won the last three meetings inside Kimbrell Arena, including last season's 87-82 win. Prior to wins in 2017 and 2020, Sully's most recent series victory came in 2004.
TAYA TIME – In a season opening exhibition against NCAA DI Houston Baptist, McMurry had 18 players see the court. Perhaps none were more impactful than sophomore guard Taya Bridges, who led the team with 26 minutes, 12 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Bridges also had one block in the contest.
RISING SOPHOMORES – McMurry relied heavily on its freshman core last season, as five rising sophomores saw at least 300 minutes of significant action. Guards D'Asia White, Taya Bridges and forwards Cassidy Melton, Trinity Meador and Destiny Mathews combined for 57 starts. White, Bridges and Meador appeared in all 25 games, while Mathews and Melton missed three games combined all last season.
MATHEWS' DESTINY – Sophomore forward Destiny Mathews made the ASC Preseason Players to Watch List this year after earning all-freshman honors last season. Mathews seems to be the heir-apparent to Skyler Reyna's dominant paint presence the last four-years, as she looks to improve upon 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as McMurry's returning leader.
NEW FACES – Nine freshmen joined the squad this season, all of whom saw their first collegiate action against HBU. Additionally, three players transferred in to give McMurry a veteran presence this season in junior guard Aubrey Guerra (Coastal Bend College), junior center Dehje Belmore (North Platte CC) and sophomore guard Valery Alvarado (Bethel College). Alvarado started at point guard this past Saturday.
DUAL-SPORT ATHLETE – It's not every day that a collegiate scholar-athlete participates in women's soccer and women's basketball, but freshman forward Kylee Smith plans to do so in 2020-21. Smith comes to McMurry by way of Wylie High School in Murphy, Texas, which is three hours from Abilene's Wylie High School.
FACING THE GIANTS – Sixth year head coach Brittany Densman-Roes is not afraid to schedule tough competition. The 2020-21 season will mark the fifth straight year McMurry has scheduled an NCAA DI opponent for either an exhibition or regular season game. Among those opponents are HBU, Abilene Christian, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar.
CURRENT SCHEDULING SITUATION – The War Hawks will have two more non-conference games against traditional American Southwest Conference opponents after Sul Ross. The team will travel to Louisiana College Dec. 19 and Hardin-Simmons Jan. 2. The ASC season will consist of 16 games, beginning at East Texas Baptist Jan. 7.
