MARSHALL, Texas – Madison McCoy and Hannah Holt both made big plays in the final minute on their former home floor as the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team topped East Texas Baptist 70-65 Thursday night in Marshall. The Cru improves to 18-4 overall and 11-2 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops the Tigers to 16-6 overall and 10-3 in the ASC.
 
ETBU led 53-52 going into the fourth quarter after UMHB rallied from a 10-point deficit. The Cru took a 54-53 lead on Ke'Aunna Johnson's jumper to open the scoring in the fourth period. The two teams would then trade the lead before UMHB opened up a six-point lead with 3:46 left to play. The Tigers fought back to tie it up at 65-65 with 1:55 remaining. McCoy, a junior point guard who played her freshman year at ETBU before transferring to UMHB, hit a clutch three-pointer with 1:08 on the clock to give the Cru a 68-65 lead. The Cru forced a turnover on the next Tiger possession and ETBU was forced to foul three times to finally send UMHB to the line. Holt, a senior guard who also played her freshman year at ETBU, calmly sank two free-throws to stretch the lead to 70-65 and the Tigers came up empty on their final two shot attempts. The Cru led 18-12 after the first quarter, but ETBU battled back to build a 38-31 halftime lead.
 
Holt and Alicia Blackwell led UMHB with 17 points apiece. Blackwell added seven rebounds and five assists. Johnson hit all six of her shots from the field to finish with 13 points and Kendall Rollins added 12 for the Cru. UMHB shot 38 percent from the field as a team and went 7-20 from three-point range. The Cru won the game at the free-throw line, hitting 15-16 from the stripe on the evening. UMHB also forced 19 turnovers in the win.
 
Amanda Wilson had 21 points on 10-13 shooting to lead ETBU. Kendrick Clark added 16 points. The Tigers shot 46 percent as a team and went 6-21 on three-pointers. ETBU only got to the free-throw line three times, but out rebounded UMHB 38-33 in the contest.
 
Coupled with Hardin-Simmons' loss at Howard Payne Thursday night, the victory moves the Cru back into a tie for first place in the ASC West Division. UMHB will take on LeTourneau University in a 1 pm tip-off Saturday in Longview. The Cru women will then close out the regular season with road games at Howard Payne and Sul Ross State next week.