JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team fought hard, but fell behind late to Belhaven University, dropping a 96-88 double-overtime decision to the Blazers Thursday evening in Jackson. The loss dropped UMHB to 2-1 on the season while Belhaven improved to 1-2.
 
UMHB trailed early but used an 8-0 run to grab a seven-point advantage on the Blazers. Belhaven responding, pulling the game within two before Jalen Jury sparked a 9-4 run with a three-pointer late in the first half. UMHB went into halftime with a 33-30 lead and maintained advantage until just under 12 minutes left in the second half when Belhaven hit a three-pointer to take the lead by two. From there, the teams played through five tied scores, ending regulation play with a 71-71 draw. Neither team was able to pull away until the second overtime period when Belhaven used a 5-0 run to gain a lead on the Cru and finished the game with a 8-0 run, giving the Blazers the 96-88 victory.
 
Russell Green led the Cru with 19 points while Daniel Mills and Demarius Cress each added 17. Green also brought down a team-high 17 rebounds, giving him a double-double in 43 minutes played. Zinsmeister led UMHB with five assists as the Cru shot 37.0 percent in the contest. Defensively, Green's 17 rebounds were followed by Cress with seven. UMHB was edged 59-58 in boards, forcing the Blazers into 19 turnovers in the contest. Belhaven's Josh Carpenter led the Blazers with 22 points while Josh Gaskin brought down a team-high 13 rebounds. UMHB shot 39.3 percent from beyond the arc and 63 percent from the free throw line as the Blazers went 39.8 percent in the contest and 20.7 percent from the three-point line.  
 
UMHB returns to action Saturday, December 5^th in a 3:00 p.m. against Texas Lutheran University at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.