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BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team saw one double-digit lead slip away, but the Cru controlled the fourth quarter in a 67-55 victory over Illinois Wesleyan Saturday night in Belton. Fifth-ranked UMHB improves to 8-1 with its eighth straight win. The loss drops the Titans to 7-4 on the season.
 
The Cru led 15-11 after the opening period and stretched the lead to 29-15 with 2:21 left in the second. IWU closed the first half with an 8-0 run to cut it to 29-23 at the half. The Titans opened the second half with another 8-0 run to grab a 31-29 lead and held a 45-44 lead after three quarters. UMHB would score 12 of the first 14 points of the final stanza to retake a 10-point lead. The Titans would get back to within six, but the Cru pulled away in the final minutes for the win.
 
Madison McCoy led UMHB with a season-high 17 points. Hannah Holt had 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Allaira Jones added 10 points. The Cru shot 64 percent in the fourth quarter and finished at 44 percent for the night. UMHB was also 10-14 from the free-throw line to help overcome 20 turnovers.
 
Sydney Shanks led all scorers with 21 points for Illinois Wesleyan and she also grabbed 11 rebounds. Riley Brovelli had seven points and 20 total rebounds on the night as the Titans out rebounded UMHB 50-46. The Titans shot just 30 percent as a team and were just 4-21 from three-point range.
 
The Cru will return to action with a non-conference game at Austin College on Monday. That game will tip off at 3 pm. UMHB will then return to conference play with home games against University of the Ozarks and UT Dallas next Thursday and Saturday.