Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team dominated the final five minutes of the first half and rolled from there in a 76-60 victory over McMurry University Tuesday night in Belton. The Cru women improve to 3-0 on the year with the victory. The loss drops the Warhawks to 1-4 on the year.
UMHB opened an early 5-2 lead, but McMurry would take an 11-8 lead thanks to a 9-3 run. The two teams traded the lead with the Warhawks holding a 20-19 edge with 10:48 remaining in the half. The game was tied at 26-26 with 5:45 left in the half, but the cru closed the half with a 12-0 run to take a 38-26 lead at the break. The UMHB lead would grow to as many as 22 points in the second half as UMHB cruised to the win.
Taylor Tucker led the Cru with 15 points and she added six rebounds. Jonelle Smith, Macy Moore and Kourtney Bevers all had eight points for UMHB as 14 different players scored. The Cru shot 45 per cent from the field in the second half and finished at 39 per cent for the game. UMHB was also 11-22 from three-point range and out rebounded the Warhawks 47-33 in the victory.
Taylor Neal had a game-high 20 points to lead McMurry and Haley Welch chipped in 17 more. The Warhawks shot 40 per cent from the field and hit 56 per cent from beyond the arc. McMurry only made five trey's compared to the Cru's 11.
The UMHB women will return to action with a 6:00 PM home non-conference game against Huston-Tillotson University this Saturday. The Cru will then open American Southwest Conference play at Howard Payne University on Thursday, December 4th.