ABILENE – McMurry's final event of 2024 is a women's basketball game against St. Mary's (Minn.) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
The War Hawks are 5-1 after convincing wins against East Texas Baptist and Mary Hardin-Baylor last week.
 
McMurry Storylines
 
Coming in Hot: The War Hawks shot 70 percent from the field in the fourth quarter while limiting their hosts to 12 percent shooting in a 24-6 fourth quarter in their 74-64 win at UMHB last week. Emily Holland led McMurry with 22 points while Kylie Flippin added a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double. That pair never came off the floor and had four assists and two steals each.
 
Player of the Week: A senior guard from Mansfield, Holland put together a pair of outstanding all around performances last week in leading McMurry to a perfect 2-0 record with road wins over ETBU (67-56) and UMHB (74-64). She averaged 19.5 points on an impressive 54.2 percent shooting and added 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game to push the War Hawks to their second straight 5-1 start to open the season. In the win over UMHB, Holland played all 40 minutes, scoring 22 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out four assists and added two steals and one block. On the season, Holland leads McMurry averaging 3.0 assists per game and is second in the War Hawks lineup averaging 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
 
Scoring the Ball: Flippin leads the War Hawks with 16.7 points per game. Holland comes in at 14 points per game and leads the team with 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
 
Shooting it Well: As UMHB found out, McMurry can turn on the accuracy. The War Hawks are first in the SCAC and 17^th nationally in field goal percentage at 45.0. Holland is shooting 50.9 percent from the field. Conversely, McMurry is holding opponents to 33.0 percent shooting, which also leads the SCAC and is 42^nd in NCAA Division III.
 
On Boards: McMurry leads the conference and I 15^th in D-3 with 31.8 defensive rebounds per game. Aryana Cleveland and Holand both average five or more defensive rebounds per game. Cleveland leads the team with 7.0 total rebounds per game and Holland averages six.
 
Defensively: The 33 percent shooting defense and the proficiency on the defensive glass contribute to McMurry holding opponents to a SCAC-leading 56.8 points per game. The War Hawks also lead the league with a 13.7 average scoring margin.
 
Three-Point Land: McMurry leads the conference with its 34.1 percent shooting from three-point range and 7.7 three-pointers made per game. Flippin is fifth in the league with 2.33 three-pointers per game and 35.9 percent accuracy. Holland is first in the SCAC and eighth nationally with her 50 percent accuracy from the arch.
 
Scouting St. Mary's: The Cardinals are 3-4 coming into their tour of Abilene. St. Mary's plays at Hardin-Simmons on Saturday before visiting Kimbrell Arena on Sunday. Brianna Nusbaum, a 5-8 guard, leads the team with 13.1 points per game to go with 12 steals.