Conway, Ark. - Hendrix defeated Howard Payne 62-53 on Friday evening to close out their 2025-26 nonconference home slate with a valuable win.

Hendrix limited their foes from the American Southwest Conference to just 23.3% from the field and 20.6% from behind the arc, and three Warriors scored in double-figures to help overcome a -9 turnover margin.

Natalie Edmonson led the way with 16 points. The junior scored the game's first six points with a couple of triples and then knocked down a couple of jumpers to score the first ten points for Wes Sullivan's side. Edmonson finished the day 6-of-15 from the field and an impressive 4-of-8 from deep. Brooklyn Rowe also put together a complete performance, finishing with 14 points and 7 boards. And then there was Riley Brady, who continued her double-double streak with 12 points and 25 rebounds. Brady grabbed 13 defensive boards and kept critical possessions alive with 12 offensive rebounds.

After Edmonson's scoring streak to start the game, HPU wound up tying the game at 10-10. But the Warriors closed the half on a 6-2 scoring run thanks to Brady and Bella Cates, who gave Hendrix some cushion heading into the second frame. Rowe converted back-to-back jumpers early in the quarter, and two foul shots from Brailey Forst pushed the lead to seven midway through the period. Hendrix closed the first half on a 5-0 run thanks to a Lyndi Bryan fastbreak layup and a fastbreak three-ball from Megan Manuel with just over 30 seconds remaining to give Hendrix a 30-22 lead going into halftime.

Edmonson gave Hendrix its first double-digit lead of the evening just under halfway to go in the third, as her three-ball put the Warriors up 37-26 and sparked an 8-0 run that featured a tip-in layup from Marlena Davis and an old-fashioned three-point play from Meredith Warner to give the home side its largest lead of the night.

The lead got back up to 16 late in the fourth with a 5-0 run solely from Rowe as the YellowJackets tried to get back in to the contest. Foul shots from Rowe and Chloey-Rei Brown in the last couple minutes prevent HPU from gaining any sort of momentum as the Warriors eventually saw off the game and pick up their third win of the season.

Hendrix shot 29.2% from the behind the arc and 30.4% from the field, but 22 of their points came off of second-chance opportunities, which came about from 65 total Hendrix rebounds, 26 of those being offensive rebounds.

The Warriors (3-4) will head to the capital city on Monday for an exhibition with Little Rock and will then enjoy some time off for the holiday break before returning to action on December 30 with an away trip to Crowley's Ridge. League play starts on January 2 with an away contest at the University of the Ozarks.