BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team opened the 2022-23 home schedule with an 87-65 win over Howard Payne University Thursday evening in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 4-3 on the season and 2-2 in American Southwest Conference action while the Yellow Jackets fell to 2-8 overall and 0-5 in league play.
 
UMHB used an 8-0 run to pull away early, with Josiah Johnson, Gibson Herne and Kyle Wright all hitting shots in the run. The Cru continued to fight defensively, holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless for more than five minutes to take a 21-point lead with 5:32 left in the first half. Howard Payne responded with 10 unanswered points but the Cru hung on, going into halftime up 43-25.
 
Hearne led the Cru with nine points in the half followed by Zachary Engels with six. UMHB shot 51.5 percent in the period with six three-pointers for a 46.2 percentage in the half.
 
The Cru continued to dominate in the second half, cruising to an 87-65 win in the home opener. UMHB maintained a double-digit lead through the half, leading by more than 10 points for the duration. The Cru shot 45.9 percent in the contest, led by Luke Feely with 16 total points. Hearne added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds while Kyle Wright added seven assists. Eleven different Crusaders scored for the Cru with 12 recording rebounds.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, December 17^th in 3 p.m. contest against Sul Ross State University at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.