ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University women's basketball has been busy in scheduling non-conference games this week, announcing two regular season contests against traditional conference opponents over the next few days.
 
Released yesterday, the War Hawks will welcome East Texas Baptist to Kimbrell Arena on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. The following Saturday, Dec. 19, the War Hawks will head to Alexandria, Louisiana to take on Louisiana College at 12 p.m. Saturday's game will be hosted at LSU Alexandria.

Due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Abilene this month, Thursday'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.
 
Neither contest will count towards either team's American Southwest Conference record, but rather as a regular season non-conference game.
 
ETBU: LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO
LC:      LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO
 
RECORDS
McM: 0-1, 0-0 ASC
ETBU: 6-0, 0-0 ASC
LC: 0-0, 0-0 ASC
 
NOTES
 
LAST TIME OUT – The War Hawks battled Sul Ross State in their regular season opener, but dropped the home contest 69-59. Trailing by double-digits in the first half, McMurry used a 15-3 run to pull back within one at the break. The Lobos pulled away in the second half for their first win of the year. Destiny Mathews led the War Hawks with 21 points and eight rebounds.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS – East Texas Baptist rides a six-game win streak into tomorrow's contest, starting with a 6-0 record for the third time in the last four seasons. ETBU's last three wins came at the Dardeen Memorial Classic in Birmingham, Ala. Against Belhaven, Covenant College and Piedmont College. The Tigers scored over 80 points in all three games and have won all but one of their regular season games by double digits. They are led by Bridget Upton with 15.8 points per game. Additionally, 12 different ETBU players are averaging at least 3.0 rebound per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. ETBU – McMurry holds a 15-12 advantage in the all-time series, dating back to 1974-75. The two sides have split the last 12 contests evenly, though ETBU has enjoyed the most recent success with five straight wins. McMurry's last win against ETBU came on Dec. 3, 2016 by way of an 84-77 victory.
 
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS – Louisiana College opened with an exhibition against NCAA DI Louisiana Monroe, falling 96-48. McMurry will be the team's first regular season opponent. In the exhibition with ULM, sophomore forward Alex Harrison led the way with 19 points, while freshman guard Olivia Scott added 13 points. LC finished 5-19 overall last season, splitting the season series with McMurry.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. LC – McMurry leads the all-time series with a 14-7 record. Splitting the season series last year, McMurry took the first contest – a non-conference tilt – with an 87-72 win. Later last season, Louisiana College returned the favor with a win in conference play, 78-73. The teams have split the last six games, but the Wildcats own a 7-6 advantage in the last 13 games.
 
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. She followed that performance with 14 points and six rebounds in 31 minutes against Sul Ross State. Bridges has three blocks and three steals this year.
 
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. In the season opener against Sul Ross, Mathews picked up where she left off with 21 points and eight rebounds, shooting 9-15 from the field.
 
DOUBLE-MEADOR – Sophomore forward Trinity Meador has transitioned from a three-point specialist to a multi-threat player, as the 6'0" sophomore grabbed a career high six rebounds against Sul Ross State Tuesday afternoon. Meador also went 3-9 behind the arc and finished with 12 points, while adding a pair of blocks defensively.
 
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 for the season opener.
 
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 had eight rebounds, three points and two steals in 16 minutes against Sul Ross. 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 – Currently, McMurry's game with Louisiana College will end scheduled games for the calendar year. In January, the War Hawks will take on crosstown rival Hardin-Simmons before commencing conference play at ETBU on Jan. 7. The schedule is subject to change at any time. All changes can be found at mcmurrysports.com and on all McMurry Athletics social media platforms.