Box Score Box Score
Richardson, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team could not overcome a three-minute scoreless stretch in the game's final minutes and the Cru fell to McMurry University 72-65 in the championship game of the American Southwest Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon in Richardson. UMHB falls to 21-7 with the loss and the Cru will have to hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships when the field is announced tomorrow. McMurry improves to 21-7 on the year and claims the conference's automatic bid to the postseason with its first conference title since 2001.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that featured five ties and five lead changes. UMHB led 36-33 at halftime after scoring the final six points of the first half. The second half would be more of the same with the two teams continuing to trade the lead. McMurry would take a 45-42 lead with 13:03 left for its biggest lead of the early going in the second half. UMHB answered and built a 50-45 lead with 11:18 remaining. McMurry would retake the lead and held a 61-60 lead into the final media timeout at 4:17.
Robert Moore hit a pair of free-throws for the Cru coming out of the break to give UMHB a 62-61 lead, but the Cru suddenly went cold. UMHB would not score again until
Sterling Phillips hit a three-pointer with 38 seconds left, a stretch of 3:39 without a point. McMurry put together a 10-0 run in that time and put the game out of reach. McMurry would then ice it from the free-throw line down the stretch.
Derick Sumpter topped McMurry with 24 points. Steven Jones added 19 points and eight rebounds and Jaden Isler had 15 points and eight assists. Teddy Chambers chipped in nine points as only seven players scored for McMurry.
The Cru shot just 31 percent in the second half and finished at 35 percent for the game. UMHB was 5-25 from three-point range and was out rebounded by McMurry 36-34. McMurry shot a blazing 61 percent from the field in the second half and hit 49 percent for the game. McMurry also shot 6-14 from three-point range and went 18-22 from the free-throw line.
Dean Pele and
Marlon Miller represented UMHB on the ASC All-Tournament Team. Jones, Isler and Sumpter earned spots for McMurry with Sumpter claiming Most Valuable Player honors.
The field for the NCAA Tournament will be announced around 12:00 PM Central Time on Monday. If the Cru does not receive an at-large bid, the careers of UMHB seniors
Dean Pele and
Colby Waller will have ended with the ASC Tournament. UMHB was playing in the ASC title game for the third time in the last four years and the Cru has played in 11 of the 13 ASC Tournaments.
