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BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team started strong in each half and then held off Belhaven's comeback bid as the Cru won a 75-63 slugfest with the Blazers Saturday afternoon in Belton. UMHB improves to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops Belhaven to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the ASC on the season.
 
The Cru opened the game with a 7-0 run and never trailed in the contest. UMHB held a 14-6 lead after the opening period and stretched it out to 35-25 at halftime. The Cru started the second half with a 6-0 run and opened up a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter. That lead would grow to as many as 19 in the final stanza before Belhaven was able to cut the gap to nine in the final minutes. UMHB would clinch the win with free throws down the stretch as the two teams combined for 52 total fouls and 71 free throws in the contest.
 
Allaira Jones was the only player in doubles figures for the Cru with 10 points as the team put together a balanced effort with 12 different players scoring. Brooke Elliott added nine points to go with a team-high 12 rebounds. UMHB shot 36 percent as a team, forced 25 turnovers and out rebounded the Blazers 52-40 in the game. The Cru was 29-43 from the free-throw line and went 4-15 from beyond the arc.
 
Janae Collier led Belhaven with 15 points, Ladedra Bryant had 12 points and Mariah Collins scored 11 before fouling out. Sydney Martin matched Elliott with 12 boards. The Blazers shot 31 percent as a team and went 20-28 from the stripe.
 
The Cru are now scheduled to hit the road for a pair of conference games next week in Abilene. UMHB is set for a 5:30 pm tip-off at Hardin-Simmons on Thursday before closing out the week with a 1 pm start at McMurry on Saturday.