CLARKSVILLE, Arkansas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team hit the century mark with a 101-80 win over University of the Ozarks Thursday evening in Clarksville. The Cru improved to 9-4 overall and 4-3 in American Southwest Conference play while the Eagles fell to 7-6 on the season and 2-4 in league play.
 
UMHB opened play with a 7-2 run before the Eagles used a pair of three-points to bring the contest within one point. The Cru pulled away with a duo of five-point runs, but the Eagles answered with ten quick points to take the lead 29-28. UMHB retook the advantage with nine unanswered points, led by Josiah Johnson with four. The Eagles responded with a 9-2 run to close the gap with less than four minutes remaining. The Cru outscored the Eagles 13-9 in the final minutes, to end the half up 52-47.
 
The Cru shot 59.4 percent from the field with 18 points in the paint and eight fast break points. Johnson led UMHB through the first half with 25 points while Ty Prince added 11. The Cru were big under the basket with 11 defensive rebounds, limiting the Eagles to two second chance points.
 
The Eagles claimed the first basket of the second half before UMHB jumped ahead with 16 unanswered points. Ozarks broke their scoring drought in the 12^th minute with back-to-back layups, but the Cru did not let up, creating a lead as big as 22 at the 7:05 mark. UMHB kept pushing and cruised to a 101-80 victory.
 
Johnson led the way for the Cru with 36 points followed by Prince with 17. Payton Brooks and Kyle Wright also hit double-digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Nathan Stolz and Prince led with five rebounds each while Johnson and Gibson Hearne each added four to the Cru's 37 total.
 
UMHB returns to action Saturday, January 7^th in a 3:00 p.m. contest against UT Dallas in Richardson.