BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team earned its 18^th win of the season, beating McMurry 94-77 Thursday evening in Belton, giving the Cru a two-game lead in the West Division. The win improved the Cru to 18-3 on the season and 11-2 in American Southwest Conference action, while the War Hawks fell to 11-9 overall and 9-4 in league play.
 
UMHB opened the game with a basket from Alicia Blackwell before Sarah Doherty hit a three for the War Hawks, giving McMurry a 3-2 lead. UMHB then constructed a 20-4 run, led by Hannah Holt with 10 points. UMHB ended the first quarter with a 10-point lead and led by as many as 25 points in the first half. The Cru held McMurry to a 3-for-2o performance from the field in the second quarter, going into halftime with a 49-23 advantage. UMHB maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half of the contest.
 
Holt led the Cru with 30 points followed by Kendall Rollins with 17 and Alicia Blackwell with 16. Holt also led the Cru with seven assists, followed by Meghan Turner with six and Blackwell with five. Defensively, UMHB came down with 38 boards, led by Rollins with seven.
 
Skyler Reyna led the War Hawks with 27 points while Sham Hunter added 19. Hunter and Monica Jones led the War Hawks with four assists each while Reyna brought down 12 rebounds.
 
UMHB shot 52.5 percent in the contest, 28.6 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent from the free throw line. The Cru totaled 28 assists, four blocks and 10 steals in the contest. McMurry shot 38.7 percent from the field, 21.9 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent in the game. The War Hawks recorded 40 rebounds, 18 assists and 13 steals.
 
The Cru returns to action in the final home game of the season, playing Hardin-Simmons University at 2 p.m. at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.