LONGVIEW, TEXAS – In need of a win to keep themselves within range of American Southwest Conference postseason tournament possibility, McMurry University turned its attention to a reliable offensive source Thursday, Jan. 19.
 
Sophomore guard Emily Holland (Mansfield, Texas), the league's leading scorer going into a clash at LeTourneau University's Solheim Arena, climbed within 14 of 300 for the season, posting her fifth 20-points-or-more outing. Holland's evening began with a white-hot 23-point first-half performance that enabled head coach Drew Long's squad to jump to an 11-1 lead less than two minutes in. She wound up her night with 28 points, canning four three-point baskets in the process, to go with six rebounds.
 
Senior forward/center Destiny Mathews was also in double figures to help ensure a 65-62 Maroon, Black and White victory, snapping a five-game skid. The Palestine, Texas, native put up 14 points and six rebounds, blocked a Yellow Jackets shot attempt and picked up two steals. Her digits total moved her within 1,100 for her career.
 
It took every bit of that combination and more to hold off a late home team charge. LETU closed to within one (63-62) with 10 seconds remaining. Long's crew managed to ice it with two made free throws by senior guard Taya Bridges (Mesquite, Texas) and Mathews sandwiched around a critical loose ball rebound.
 
McMurry, improving to 9-7 overall and 3-7 in league play, stayed a game and a half in the back of Concordia University of Austin in the chase for one of six league postseason tournament slots. The University of Ozarks, also a part of that battle, knocked off Howard Payne University 60-44 to stay in front of the War Hawks by a half-game for seventh.
 
The second successive weekend road swing in the Lone Star State's eastern half continues Saturday, Jan. 21. Game time at East Texas Baptist University's Ornelas Gym in Marshall is 1 p.m.