ABILENE, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team jumped out to  double-digit first half lead and then held off McMurry's comeback bid as the Cru posted a 92-86 victory Thursday night in Abilene. UMHB moves to 16-5 overall and 7-5 in American Southwest Conference play with the win. The War Hawks fall to 8-13 overall and 5-7 in the ASC with the loss.
 
The Cru opened up a 13-point lead midway through the opening half and led 44-37 at halftime. Two Byrale Carter free throws would give UMHB a 15-point cushion 16:24 left in the game. McMurry closed to within nine before the Cru went on a run capped by a Carter jumper to push the lead out to 18. The lead would stay in double figures until the War Hawks closed to within eight at 85-77 with 1:03 remaining. McMurry sandwiched three-pointers around two Shaqur Martin free throws to cut the lead to four with 21 seconds to go, but the War Hawks were hit with a technical foul. UMHB would score the game's next five points to pull away for the win.
 
Carter was 6-7 from the field and 10-11 from the free-throw line to lead UMHB with a career-high 24 points. Sam Moore added 22 points, Demarius Cress chipped in 13 and Martin scored 11 for the Cru. UMHB shot 45 percent from the field as a team and scored 29 points off 20 McMurry turnovers.
 
Zacc Carter led the War Hawks with 20 points. Taylor hit 4-5 three-pointers to finish with 17 points and Mike Williams, Jr. had 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. McMurry shot 47 percent as a team and out rebounded UMHB 38-36 in the contest.
 
The Cru men will finish out a five-game road trip with a 3 pm start at Hardin-Simmons Saturday in Abilene. UMHB will then return home to host the final three games of the regular season.