ABILENE, TEXAS - McMurry University head coach Drew Long and his team were able to have a bit of celebration following an American Southwest Conference triumph Thursday, Jan. 26.
Long's group, concluding a season series sweep of nearby loop rival Howard Payne University, reached double-digit victories for the first time since 2017-18 for the Maroon, Black, and White program.
It's a step in the right direction," he noted after a 73-53 win inside Kimbrell Arena. "I'm proud of the girls and their effort tonight. We believe we have a good team in that locker room, and we're only a few possessions away from being a great team. We're still learning how to finish games, but I'm excited about our progress.
We had a goal of making the conference tournament this season, and that's still within our reach. We've got to protect the home floor and steal a game or two on the road. We're taking it one game at a time right now.
HPU made things anything but easy, especially early on for their hosts. Due to a deft three-point shooting touch, the Yellow Jackets rallied from an early 10-7 deficit and led 17-15 after the first 10 minutes. The War Hawks quickly turned the tables for good on their visitors, putting up 17 of the first 25 points in the second quarter, and didn't look back. They added to that by holding HPU to just 16 second-half tallies.
Senior forward/center Destiny Mathews (Palestine, Texas) ran a current string of double-figure totals to six with 18 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Sophomore guard Emily Holland's recent rampage continued as the reigning league Player of the Week tossed in 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. Senior guard Taya Bridges (Mesquite, Texas) was just off a triple-double pace with 12 points, eight steals, and six rebounds.
McMurry (10-8 overall, 4-7 ASC) begins three in a row on the road Saturday, Jan. 28. Game time at Sul Ross State University's Gallego Center is 1 p.m.