Box Score
San Antonio, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team grabbed a big early lead and then held off a Bluffton rally as the Cru posted a 54-46 victory the Beavers Tuesday evening in San Antonio. The UMHB women improve to 6-4 on the season with the victory. The loss drops Bluffton to 3-9 on the season.
The Cru used a smothering defensive effort to take control of the game in the first half. UMHB broke open an 8-7 game with a 12-0 run and the Cru would lead 35-18 at halftime. Bluffton would open the second half with a 14-0 to cut the lead to 35-32 with 12:39 left to play. UMHB would score six straight to push the lead back to 41-32 and the Cru would get the lead back to double digits at 48-38 with 5:40 remaining. The Beavers would pull to within six at 52-46 with 10 seconds to go, but Caitlin Bargainer buried a pair of clutch free-throws for the Cru to clinch the victory.
Barganier led UMHB with 13 points and Mallory McAdams added nine points and six rebounds for the Cru. Ten different players scored in a balanced attack for UMHB. Kim Miller topped Bluffton with 16 points and she also grabbed 10 rebounds. Brittany Stegmaier added 10 points and Ginny Buckingham also pulled down 10 rebounds for the Beavers.
UMHB held Bluffton to 32 per cent shooting from the field in the first half and 30 per cent for the game. UMHB shot just 33 per cent from the field and the Cru was also out rebounded 43-38, but UMHB did force 23 Bluffton turnovers in the victory.
UMHB will now return home for a pair of American Southwest Conference games next week. The Cru women will host Louisiana College for a 5:30 PM tip-off on Thursday, January 7th before welcoming Mississippi College to the Mayborn Campus Center for a 1:00 PM start on Saturday, January 9th.
