Box Score Box Score
Sherman, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team dominated the second half and the Cru rolled to a 96-74 victory over Austin College in the final non-conference tune-up of the season Friday night in Sherman. The UMHB men improve to 2-0 on the season with the victory. The loss drops the Kangaroos to 2-3 on the year.
The Cru would lead 36-32 after a see-saw first half. UMHB built a nine-point lead before a late Austin College rally cut the gap. The Cru then exploded out the gate in the second half. UMHB quickly built the lead to 12 points at 49-37 with 16:40 left in the game. The Kangaroos would battle back and close to within seven points at 61-54 with 9:45 remaining. But UMHB scored the next six points and continued to pull away, leading by at least 11 points the rest of the way.
Sterling Phillips led the Cru with 14 points on 6-10 shooting. Phillips also grabbed seven rebounds and added six assists.
Robert Moore went 4-5 from the field and chipped in 11 points in his first action of the season for UMHB. Dorian Purnell added eight points and matched Phillips with seven boards for the Cru and 16 different players scored for UMHB in the win.
Jordan Hancock led Austin College with 19 points and Ransom Okpala added 18 for the Kangaroos. Josh Saunders also reached double figures with 15 points. Three different players grabbed seven rebounds apiece to pace Austin College in that category.
UMHB shot 53 percent from the field and went 23-39 from the free-throw line. The Cru also forced 26 turnovers in the game. Austin College shot 13-30 from three-point range, but the Kangaroos were just 8-32 from inside the arc as UMHB held AC to 34 percent shooting for the game.
The Cru will open defense of its American Southwest Conference championship when league play starts Monday night. UMHB will open ASC play with a 7:30 PM tip-off at East Texas Baptist University Monday night in Marshall. The Cru will then return home to host LeTourneau University and U.T.-Tyler next Thursday and Saturday at the Mayborn Campus Center.
