Jan. 30, 2006

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - No. 17 Hardin-Simmons' women's basketball team won its 10th straight game with a 63-54 win over No. 9 McMurry in front of 2,211 fans at the Mabee Complex in American Southwest Conference action Monday night in Abilene.

The Cowgirls lead a low-scoring affair at halftime 20-14. HSU limited the Indians to 14.3 percent shooting in the first half and just 29.4 percent for the game. HSU also won the battle of the boards 49-42. The Cowgirls never trailed in the game.

As dull offensively as the game was in the first half a two minute stretch in the second half showed why the two teams are among the nation's best. McMurry's Carli Engleke started the run with a jumper at the 12:23 mark to make it 30-26 and HSU responded with a 3-pointer by Rachel Singletary, Engkle scored again and Lyssa Dennard hit a 3-pointer and then Engelke scored another basket and Sonya West scored for the Cowgirls.

Amanda McEwen continued the run for McMurry with a 3-pointer and then Dennard buried another 3-pointer. The teams combined to hit eight straight shots on eight possessions. When the run ended HSU led 41-33.

The Cowgirls kept the lead to at least five points, until a Maigen Sawyer 3-pointer made it 49-46 with 4:29 to play. HSU responded with a 10-2 run to put the game awy. West had a 3-point play and two more free throws in the run, Singletary buried a triple and had a lay-up to make it 59-48 with 2:02 to play.

West led the Cowgirls with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Dennard added 13 points and a career-best 13 rebounds for HSU. Singletary had 12 points and Melissa Henley added 10. Tarra Richardson had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Lady Indians.

The win improved the Cowgirls to 16-2 on the year and 14-2 in ASC play. McMurry fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, moving to 18-1 on the year and 15-1 in ASC action. HSU hosts Schreiner on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.