Box Score Box Score
Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team broke open a close game midway through the second half and the Cru coasted to an 88-75 victory over Hardin-Simmons University Thursday night in Belton. The UMHB men improve to 13-3 overall and 9-3 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The Cru also takes over sole possession of first place in the ASC West Division with the win. The loss drops Hardin-Simmons to 9-6 overall and 8-3 in the ASC and the Cowboys drop a half-game behind the Cru in the ASC West.
UMHB would build a 43-39 halftime lead after three ties and five lead changes in the first half. Hardin-Simmons closed to within one point at 47-46 with 15:41 left in the second half and the Cowboys tied the game at 49 with 15:23 left. The Cru answered with a 12-0 run, ending with a 61-49 lead and 13:03 left in the game and UMHB would never let the Cowboys back into it from there. HSU cut it to nine points twice, but the Cru would stretch the lead to as many as 18 points before settling for the 12 point win.
Marlon Miller led the Cru with 22 points off the bench and he added seven rebounds and four assists.
Sterling Phillips added 20 points and four assists.
Robert Moore chipped in 15 points and eight boards off the bench and
Kitrick Bell had a career-high 14 for UMHB.
Greg Wiernas grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Cru. UMHB shot 55 percent from the field in the victory and out rebounded the Cowboys 52-28.
Matt Addison erupted for a career-high 35 points to lead Hardin-Simmons, but 24 of those came in the first half and he was just 3-13 shooting in the second half. Terrance Booker added 14 points but no other player had more than five for the Cowboys. Derrick Jefferson grabbed seven rebounds to lead HSU. The Cowboys shot 41 percent from the field and went 13-33 from three-point range in the game.
UMHB will continue its home stand with a 3:00 PM tip-off against McMurry University on Saturday at the Mayborn Campus Center. The Cru will then hit the road for ASC West Division games at Howard Payne University and Sul Ross State University next week.
