ABILENE, Texas – For the second straight game, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team rallied to force overtime, but the Cru again fell victim to clutch free-throw shooting in a 106-103 overtime loss to Hardin-Simmons Saturday in Abilene. UMHB drops to 12-7 overall and 4-6 in American Southwest Conference play with its third straight loss. The Cowboys improve to 7-12 overall and 3-7 in the ASC with the victory.
 
The Cru trailed by five points at halftime and were down by nine with 5:57 left in regulation. UMHB used an 8-1 run to pull to within 82-80 with 4:12 to go. The Cru would take an 87-85 lead before the Cowboys scored four straight to go up 89-87. zCasey Armour made two free-throws with 33 seconds left to tie it up and UMHB's defense smothered Steven Quinn's attempt at a game-winner to send it to extra time. HSU would lead 103-100 before Sam Moore drained a three-pointer with eight seconds on the clock. UMHB was called for a technical foul and the Cowboys sank three clutch free-throws before the Cru's desperation three was off the mark at the end of the game. Hardin-Simmons opened the contest with a 14-3 spurt before UMHB battled back to 46-41 at halftime.
 
Moore and Logan Hicks had 24 points apiece to lead the Cru. Armour and Joseph Mitchell added 20 points each. UMHB shot 53 percent from the field but just 9-25 from beyond the arc. The Cru also gave up 19 offensive rebounds to HSU and lost the rebounding battle 46-30 overall.
 
Quinn topped the Cowboys with 23 points and Kyle Brennon had 20 off the bench. Three others players were also in double figures for HSU. The Cowboys shot 41 percent as a team and scored 19 second chance points on the day.
 
The UMHB men will now return to the Mayborn Campus Center for the final two home games of the regular season next week. The Cru will take on Sul Ross State in a 7:30 pm tip-off on Thursday before facing Howard Payne in a 3 pm start on Saturday.