SAN ANTONIO, Texas - McMurry Women's Basketball dropped a 76-55 road decision against the Trinity University Tigers on Sunday afternoon at the Bell Center.
With the setback, the War Hawks moved to 1-1 on the young season.
After falling behind early, McMurry stayed within striking distance throughout a competitive opening quarter.
J'Lee Sloan provided an immediate spark off the bench, scoring seven first-quarter points on 3-of-3 shooting.
Gracie Hunter knocked down a three-pointer off an assist from
Ashlynn Galvin to trim the deficit to 11-10, and Galvin added a pair of free throws and a putback layup in the final seconds to keep the War Hawks within two, 18-16, at the end of the period.
Galvin sank a three-pointer early in the second frame off a pass from
Garnelle Zor to cut the gap to 20-19. The host Tigers answered with a 10-0 run to build a double-digit cushion, but McMurry kept attacking in transition.
Kyndil Harris scored on consecutive fast-break layups, and Sloan capped the half with a driving layup off a turnover with nine seconds remaining, sending McMurry into the locker room trailing 34-27.
Trinity created separation in the third period, outscoring the War Hawks 27-12 while shooting nearly 59 percent from the floor to extend its lead to 61-39. McMurry kept battling in the fourth quarter, matching the Tigers 16-16 over the final 10 minutes.
Shaniyah Fox contributed five points in the period, including a three-pointer and an inside layup, while
Jaliyah Graham went 3-for-4 from the free-throw line and dished an assist to Zor for a fast-break score. Galvin closed out her day with a late triple and a transition layup off her own steal.
Galvin led the War Hawks with 16 points and dished out a team-high six assists in 35 minutes of action. Sloan joined her in double figures, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Zor added six points and three assists, while Fox and Hunter each tallied five points. McMurry's transition offense remained effective all afternoon, outscoring Trinity 19-5 in fast-break points.
Hunter paced McMurry on the boards with seven rebounds, while Zor and Sloan pulled down six rebounds apiece. Zor also anchored the interior defense with a game-high three blocks, and Galvin collected three steals.
The War Hawks return home next week to host the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, November 14th at 12:00 p.m.
