UMHB opened the game with an 8-0 run as McMurry missed its first 11 shots from the field. McMurry answered with an eight-point run before the Lady Cru pushed it back to seven points at 19-12. McMurry then went on a 12-0 run to take a 24-19 lead before settling for a 29-28 lead at halftime. McMurry would stretch the lead to nine points before UMHB stormed back for a 48-45 lead with 9:05 remaining. The Cru would lead by as many as five points on three occasions, including 56-51 with 4:12 left to play. Allison Nelson’s lay-up gave McMurry a 57-56 lead with 2:59 to play and UMHB could not came all the way back and McMurry iced the game from the free-throw line for the win.
Shannon Barnes led UMHB with 16 points and she added eight rebounds. Christian Tomlinson had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds and Julie Amabile had 10 assists for the Lady Cru. Tarra Richardson led McMurry with 24 points, but she hit just 7-20 from the field. Maigen Sawyer added 18 points and Symbri Tuttle added eight points and seven rebounds.
Both teams shot 36 per cent from the field and UMHB held McMurry to 2-13 shooting from three-point range. The Lady Cru out rebounded McMurry 43-42 but UMHB also turned the ball over 23 times.
The UMHB women will continue their home stand against another nationally ranked opponent on Saturday. The Lady Cru will welcome 20th-ranked Hardin-Simmons to the Mayborn Campus Center for a 1:00 PM tip-off.