BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team earned an 89-78 win over East Texas Baptist University Thursday evening in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 14-4 on the season and 9-2 in American Southwest Conference action while the Tigers fell to 15-4 overall and 9-3 in league action.
 
Josiah Johnson opened the game with a three-pointer for the Cru before the Tigers evened the contest on the next possession. ETBU took a lead on their next possession and led by as many as four points early in the half. Kyle Wright scored a fast break basket at 14:54 to give the Cru a one-point lead and UMHB continued to put distance on the Tigers, leading by as seven points in the first 10 minutes of action.
 
UMHB held the lead through the first half, going into halftime with a 45-34 lead. UMHB shot 53.3 percent in the first half, scoring 20 points in the paint and 11 points off fast breaks. The Cru forced nine turnovers in the first half and committed just one.
 
East Texas Baptist cut the lead to single digits early in the second half but a trio of jumpers from Ty Prince put the Cru back up by 12 with 15:01 left to play.  The Tigers cut the lead to single digits again with 8:24 left to play but UMHB stayed on top to earn the 89-78 win.
 
Josiah Johnson led the Cru with 27 points while Prince added 26. Prince added team-highs in rebounds (7) and assists (4) while Nathan Stolz and D.J Kane both added two stelas. UMHB shot 54.1 percent as a team in the contest, scoring 48 points in the paint and 27 points off the bench.
 
UMHB closes out the five-game home stand on Saturday, January 28^th in a 3:00 p.m. match against LeTourneau University at Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.