BELTON, Texas – Finding themselves with an unexpected extra opportunity for a tune-up game before opening conference play, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team tested itself with an exhibition game against NCAA Division II program Midwestern State Saturday in Belton. The Mustangs came out hot and answered each Cru run in a 93-70 victory over UMHB in the game. Midwestern State improves to 6-1 on the season with the victory. The game does not count in UMHB's record with the Cru counting the contest as an exhibition.
 
Midwestern State hit three-pointers on three of its first four possessions and jumped out to a quick 21-3 lead. UMHB fought back and would close to within eight points at 31-23 with 4:03 left in the opening half, but the Mustangs closed with a 9-2 run for a 40-25 lead at the break. Carson Hammond shot the Cru back into the game in the second as, with one of his three-pointers pulling UMHB back to within eight at 48-40. But every time the Cru made a run, MSU seemed to have an answer and pulled away late, pushing it out to a 26-point advantage before Kyle Wright drained a three at the final buzzer for UMHB.
 
Hammond led the Cru with 23 points on 7-14 shooting from three-point range. He also grabbed a team-best six rebounds. Aedan Welch had 13 points and Gibson Hearne came off the bench to score 11. UMHB hit 15-46 from three-point range in the game and shot 38 percent overall in the game. The Cru only shot three free throws on the day.
 
Terrell Wilson and Derrick Ogechi had 21 points apiece for MSU and Ogechi also pulled down 11 rebounds. Luke Hamilton had 15 points. The Mustangs out rebounded UMHB 46-34 in the game and shot 49 percent from the field as a team.
 
The Cru men will take a 3-3 overall record into the start of American Southwest Conference play next week. UMHB is scheduled for a pair of home games against Louisiana College and Belhaven University on January 14^th and 16^th.