Box Score
Brownwood, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team built a double-digit first half lead and the Cru made it stand up on the way to a 77-64 victory over Howard Payne University Saturday afternoon in Brownwood. The UMHB men improve to 19-6 overall and 17-4 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. UMHB also clinches the outright ASC West Division crown and the Cru earns the West Division #1 seed and the right to host the ASC Championship Tournament next Friday through Sunday. The loss ends HPU's season at 6-19 overall and 6-15 in the ASC.
The Cru opened the game with a 14-2 run and the Cru never looked back. Howard Payne would close to within four points before UMHB stretched it to 19 points at 41-22 with 3:07 left in the first half. The Yellow Jackets would close the first half with an 8-1 run as the Cru took a 43-32 lead into halftime. Howard Payne would close to within eight points early in the second half before UMHB opened it up again and the Yellow Jackets would not get closer than six points the rest of the way as the Cru pulled away late for the win.
Theo Ard led a balanced UMHB scoring attack with 14 points and he also grabbed 13 rebounds. Ervin Johnson also had a double-double for the Cru with 12 points and 10 boards. Rich Moore had 13 points,
Zane Johnston scored 12 and Sterling Phillips chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds. Brandon Irwin and Keith Perry had 20 points apiece to lead Howard Payne, but no other player had more than five points.
The Cru out rebounded HPU 51-33 to help overcome a 39 per cent shooting day from the field and 18 turnovers. UMHB shot 39 per cent from three-point range while the Yellow Jackets hit 42 per cent from the field and 33 per cent from three-point range.
The Cru will host the ASC Championship Tournament for the second time in three years and the UMHB men are the ASC West Division champs for the third time in the last four seasons. The Cru will open the ASC Tournament with a 7:30 PM tip-off against East Division #4 seed U.T.-Tyler next Friday. UMHB posted a 70-66 victory over the Patriots in the regular season meeting between the two teams.
