Postgame Interview with
Kendall Rollins and
Mark Morefield
Photo Gallery
RICHARDSON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team rallied from an early deficit to take control of the game as the Cru rolled to a 67-50 victory over East Texas Baptist in the Semifinals of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Friday in Richardson. UMHB improves to 23-4 on the season and advances to the ASC title game for the sixth time in program history with the win. The loss likely ends the Tigers' season at 20-7.
The Cru led 3-0 after Hanna Holt hit a three-pointer 56 seconds into the game. ETBU scored the next eight points to grab an 8-3 lead, but UMHB answered with an 8-0 and the Tigers never led again. The Cru was up 18-12 at the end of the first period. That lead would grow to as many as 14 points in the second quarter before a late ETBU run shaved it to 35-27 at halftime. UMHB quickly pushed it back to double figures in the early going of the second half and took a 47-34 lead into the fourth quarter. The Tigers never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way as the Cru coasted to the victory.
Hannah Holt had a huge night for UMHB, pouring in 27 points and hitting 5-7 three-pointers.
Kendall Rollins added 11 points and
Alicia Blackwell had eight points and a team-best seven rebounds in the game. The Cru shot 39 percent from the field as a team and was 9-22 from beyond the arc. UMHB also hounded the Tigers into 28 turnovers on the night.
Amanda Wilson was the only player in double figures for ETBU with 18 points and 16 rebounds in the contest. The Tigers out rebounded UMHB 43-33 but shot just 36 percent from the floor as a team. UMHB also held ETBU to 2-14 from three-point range and 8-14 from the free-throw line.
The Cru will now the face Hardin-Simmons in the ASC Championship Game at 6 pm on Saturday. The Cowgirls advanced with an 81-78 overtime win over tournament host UT Dallas. UMHB and Hardin-Simmons split two regular season meetings with each tean winning on its home floor. The ASC Champion will clinch the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships. The losing team will have to hope for an at-large bid.
