Georgetown, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team could not overcome Southwestern's big rebounding edge and bench scoring advantage as the Pirates topped the Cru 77-66 Monday night in Georgetown. The loss drops the UMHB women to 6-3 on the season. The Pirates improve to 2-5 on the year with the victory.
The Cru scored just nine points in a cold-shooting first quarter, but held the Pirates to just 12 points in the period. It would be 28-27 Southwestern at halftime before the Pirates started to pull away in the third stanza. Southwestern stretched the lead to as many as 14 points, but UMHB kept chipping away. The Cru closed to within three points at 52-49 with 8:02 remaining, but another Pirate run opened up a 75-58 cushion with 1:04 left to play. UMHB closed the game with an 8-2 run, but could not claw its way back.
Jonelle Smith topped the Cru with 22 points and she was 14-15 from the free-throw line.
Meghan Turner added 11 points for UMHB.
Kendra Wynn had five rebounds and four steals. The Cru shot just 17 percent in the first quarter and finished at 34 percent for the game. UMHB was also out rebounded 48-35 in the loss.
Tori Carraway led the Pirates with 13 points and 10 rebounds and three other Southwestern players also reached double figures. The Pirates shot 40 percent from the field and hit 5-10 three-pointers. The Southwestern bench also outscored UMHB's 31-15 in the contest.
The Cru will return to action with an American Southwest Conference showdown with Louisiana College this Saturday. UMHB will host the Wildcats for a 1:00 PM start in the opener of a women's-men's doubleheader at the Mayborn Campus Center.
