BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team earned its first win under head coach Mark Morefield Tuesday evening in Belton with a 73-66 win over Southwestern University. The win improved the Cru to 1-3 on the season while Southwestern fell to 0-4.
 
UMHB jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the first quarter before the Pirates tied the game at 6-6. The Cru then used an 8-2 run to grab a 17-10 lead after the first quarter. UMHB then held the Pirates to just eight points in the second quarter, heading into halftime with a 38-18 advantage. UMHB led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter before Southwestern used a 30-point fourth quarter to cut the lead to six. The Pirates were limited to just five points in the final two minutes of action, securing the 73-66 win for UMHB.
 
Bridjai Chaney led the Cru with 16 points while Kourtney Bevers added 15 and Jonelle Smith had 13. Chaney also led the Cru in total rebounds with eight as UMHB out-rebounded the Pirates 43-41 in the contest. Meghan Turner led UMHB's offense with four assists while Tori Tucker recorded a game-high five steals. The Cru shot 43 percent in the contest and 75 percent from the free-throw line.
 
Southwestern's Tori Carraway led the Pirates with 15 points while Kelsey Faykus added 13. Southwestern shot 34.4 percent in the contest and 64.3 percent from the free-throw line, totaling 11 assists and 11 steals in the game.
 
UMHB returns to action Monday, November 30^th in a 5:30 p.m. match against Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. The Cru opens American Southwest Conference play at Belhaven University on Thursday, December 3^rd before returning home to face Texas A&M International University at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 5^th.