BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team opened up a back-and-forth game with a strong fourth quarter as the Cru posted a 79-59 victory over the University of the Ozarks Thursday evening in Belton. UMHB improves to 9-2 overall and 2-0 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops the Eagles to 5-6 overall and 0-2 in the ASC.
 
The Cru fell behind 6-3 to open the game, but scored the next five points and led 14-9 after the first quarter. The lead would grow to as many as 11 points in the second and UMHB was up 36-28 at halftime. The Eagles closed to within six points early in the third period, but the Cru opened up a 57-46 advantage going into the final quarter. Ozarks never got closer than nine points the rest of the way as the Cru pulled away for the victory.
 
Allaira Jones topped UMHB with 14 points and nine rebounds. Hannah Holt scored 13 points, Trinity Paeu added 12 points and Kandyce Shepard had 11 off the bench for the Cru. UMHB shot 56 percent in the final period and hit 49 percent for the game. The Cru went 11-15 from the free-throw line to help compensate for a 2-17 night from beyond the arc.
 
Kamryn McKinney led the Eagles with 13 points. Kerigan Bradshaw and Janna Rhinehart scored 11 points apiece. Ozarks shot just 36 percent from the field as a team and went 5-18 from three-point range. The Eagles out rebounded UMHB 40-37, but turned the ball over 22 times in the game.
 
The Cru women will return to action with another key ASC showdown on Saturday. UMHB will host UT Dallas for a 1 pm start that day.