DALLAS, TEXAS – A gritty, hard-nosed 40-minute team win was just what the doctor ordered for McMurry University Monday, Feb. 6.
 
"This victory was due to everyone," head coach Drew Long admitted as the War Hawks dispatched of UT-Dallas 68-65 at UT-D's Activity Center. "It proves we are a good team. We've been in so many close games, and tonight, we finally put it all together for a win that keeps us in the tournament hunt."
 
Long's crew, improving to 11-10 overall and 5-10 in the American Southwest Conference, worked around a white-hot start for the Comets. UT-Dallas scored 10 of the first 12 points, but the Maroon, Black, and White dug in and answered with a 15-5 run, and the outcome remained in the balance the rest of the way.
 
The two sides went back and forth right to the final buzzer. The War Hawks-led 66-65 with 1:20 to play after freshman guard Helana Chadwick drained a three-pointer. From that point, a defense that battled through traffic managed to hotly-contest a jump shot and pair of three-point attempts to seal the finish. Sophomore guard Emily Holland added a couple of pivotal free throws with one second remaining to wrap it up. Her 25-point night marked eight successive contests in which the sophomore has recorded double figures. She also picked up three steals.
 
A backcourt flavor continued in the top scorers' column for the visitors. Chadwick, hailing from La Vernia, Texas, tallied 10 points, and freshman guard Kylie Flippin (Wichita Falls, Texas) turned in 11 points and five rebounds. Long quickly pointed out that the frontcourt tandem of freshman Aryana Cleveland (San Antonio, Texas) and senior Kaitlyn Randall (Trophy Club, Texas) also played a significant role.
 
"We had some people playing out of their normal positions, with Aryana among them," he said. "She almost turned in a double-double (eight points and ten rebounds); Kaitlyn was also key inside. She battled hard all night (nine points and six rebounds)."
 
McMurry returns home Saturday, Feb. 11, to face off against crosstown rival Hardin-Simmons. Game time at Kimbrell Arena is 1 p.m.
 
NOTE: McMurry's victory was the program's first road triumph in the series with UT-D since 2011-12.