Box Score Click
here to watch a post-game interview with
Jonelle Smith.
Photo GalleryTyler, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team opened the game with a 16-2 run and the Cru never looked back despite a second-half U.T.-Dallas run as UMHB knocked off the defending conference champions 102-79 in the Semifinals of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Saturday in Tyler. The victory sends the Cru women into the ASC Championship Game for the first time since 2006 and UMHB will face tournament host U.T.-Tyler in the title game at 2:00 PM on Sunday.
The Cru dominated early in their 16-2 run and UMHB led by 15 at 21-6 just nine minutes into the game. The lead would grow to as many as 17 points before the Comets used a late run to cut it to 40-30 at halftime. The Cru pushed it back to a 15-point cushion before another UTD run pulled the Comets to within 57-51 with 12:07 remaining.
Kourtney Bevers converted a three-point play on the next possession and UMHB would get the lead back into double figures at 63-53 with 10:57 left to play. The Cru would pull away from there to coast to the victory.
Macy Moore led UMHB with 25 points and she was 7-11 from the field.
Jonelle Smith added 22 points and matched Moore's 7-11 shooting.
Alyssa Dean scored 16 points, Bevers had 15 and
Jovana Miles scored 14. Miles and Bevers also grabbed eight rebounds apiece for the Cru. UMHB shot 56 percent as a team and hit a blistering 73 percent in the second half. The Cru also out rebounded the Comets 42-30 in the victory.
Jo'Anna Davis topped U.T.-Dallas with 22 points off the bench. Morgan Kilgore added 16 points and Christina Brosnahan had 15 points. The Comets shot just 30 percent from the field in the second half and finished at 35 percent for the game. UTD was just 7-24 from three-point range in the loss.
UMHB improves to 18-9 on the season with the win and moves into the Championship Game after being picked to finish ninth in the league in the ASC Preseason Coaches' and Media Poll. The loss drops the Comets to 21-6 on the year. The ASC Champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday afternoon.
