Box Score
Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team watched a double-digit second-half lead slip away, before closing strong as the Cru posted a 76-67 victory over Schreiner University Saturday afternoon in Belton. The UMHB men improve to 12-5 overall and 10-3 in American Southwest Conference play as the Cru wins its sixth straight game. UMHB also maintains sole possession of first place in the ASC West Division with the victory. The loss drops the Mountaineers to 3-14 overall and 3-10 in the ASC on the season.
The Cru held a 33-25 halftime lead and quickly pushed it a 12 points at 44-32 with 15:31 remaining in the game. Trevor Conner would hit three three-pointers for the Mountaineers, Riley Battle added a trey and Aaron Hamilton hit a jumper to key a 14-2 run for Schreiner to tie the game at 46 with 12:21 left to play. Battle added a jumper following a Kevin Neal free-throw as the Mountaineers grabbed a 48-47 lead with 11:19 on the clock. The two teams would trade the lead with Schreiner taking a 55-52 lead with 8:55 remaining. Rich Moore hit a lay-up and Dean Pele drilled a long-range three to give the Cru a 57-55 lead and UMHB would not look back. Schreiner cut it to two at 62-60 with 5:23 left, but UMHB went on an 8-0 run to push the lead back to ten at 70-60 with 2:08 left. Schreiner would not get closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Pele led the Cru with 18 points and he hit 4-7 from three-point range. Theo Ard added 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Moore also reached double figures with 11 points for UMHB. Battle topped Schreiner with 18 points and Conner had 16 on 4-9 shooting from beyond the arc.
The Cru shot 49 per cent from the field and used a late push to win the rebounding battle 37-31. UMHB also forced 22 turnovers, but kept the Mountaineers in the game by hitting just 19-33 from the free-throw line.
The Cru will now travel to Abilene for a pair of key ASC West Division games next week. UMHB will open the week with a 7:30 PM tip-off at McMurry University on Thursday. The Cru will close out the week with a 3:00 PM start at Hardin-Simmons University on Saturday.
