Box Score
Alpine, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team used some key defensive plays down the stretch to battle back from a second-half deficit and the Cru posted a 68-65 victory over Sul Ross State Thursday night in Alpine. The UMHB men clinch the West Division's #1 seed with the victory and the Cru also clinches the right to host the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament next weekend with the win. UMHB improves to 18-6 overall and 16-4 in the ASC with the win. The loss drops the Lobos to 9-15 overall and 8-12 in the ASC on the year.
The Cru would trail 50-42 with 7:56 remaining in the game. UMHB would use a 7-2 run to pull to within three before the Lobos stretched it back to seven points at 58-51 with 4:51 left to go. An 8-1 run by the Cru would tie the game at 59, but Sul Ross hit three free-throws to take a 62-59 lead with 2:23 to go.
Zane Johnston would hit a three-pointer to tie it and then back-to-back steals led to baskets by Sterling Phillips and Dean Pele to give the Cru a 66-62 lead. A Sul Ross free-throw cut it to 66-63 before Pele and Theo Ard sandwiched free-throws around a Jimmy Martinez lay-in to make it 68-65. The Lobos would turn the ball over the ensuing possession, but Pele missed two free-throws, giving the Lobos one last chance. Johnston picked off the Sul Ross inbounds pass to seal the victory. UMHB closed the first half with an 8-0 run to take a 25-24 halftime lead.
Phillips led UMHB with 22 points and he also grabbed seven rebounds. Ard added 14 points, Ervin Johnson had 12 points and nine boards and Pele added 10 points for the Cru. Andy Hulsey and Steven Johunkin led Sul Ross with 19 points apiece. Martinez had 13 for the Lobos.
UMHB shot 47 per cent from the field and went 3-9 from three-point range. The Cru out rebounded the Lobos 39-35. Sul Ross shot 47 per cent from the field and went 4-11 from beyond the arc. Both teams struggled from the free-throw line, as UMHB hit just 9-22 and the Lobos went 15-26 from the stripe.
UMHB will now close out the regular season with a 3:00 PM tip-off at Howard Payne University in Brownwood on Saturday. The Cru will then host the ASC Tournament for the second time in three years. The ASC Tournament will be played February 26-28 at the Mayborn Campus Center. Be sure to check
www.cruathletics.com for details once the bracket is set.
