FOREST GROVE, Ore. - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team rolled past Willamette University in an 86-49 decision over the Bearcats Friday afternoon in Oregon. The win improved the Cru to 2-1 on the season while Willamette moved to 1-2 overall.
 
Willamette opened the contest with a three-pointer and held a lead until the 8:29 mark when the Cru evened the contest with a basket beyond the arc from Lauren Baker. Alexis Carmosino hit the go-ahead at the 7:38 mark before the Bearcats used another three-pointer to regain the lead. Ashley Faux hit a jumper at the 7:01 mark for an 11-10 Cru margin. UMHB held the high ground, going into the second quarter up 21-16.
 
UMHB held the Bearcats scoreless until the 6:13 mark in the second quarter, going ahead 32-16 off an 11-0 run. Willamette scored just nine points in the second quarter, giving UMHB a 41-25 halftime lead.
 
The Cru took a 20-point lead with 7:14 left in the third off another three-pointer from Baker. UMHB led by as many as 34 points in that frame, going into the fourth quarter up 68-40. The Cru allowed just nine fourth-quarter points to the Bearcats, earning the 86-49 win.
 
Arieona Rosborough led the Cru with 23 points while Alexis Carmosino added 16 and Baker scored 10. UMHB shot 47.8 percent in the contest, including a 62.5 percent performance in the third quarter. Ashley Faux was the Cru's leading rebounder, bringing down nine boards while UMHB totaled 42 in the contest. Baker led UMHB with five assists in the match while Rosborough added five steals and four different Crusaders added blocks.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, November 18^th in an 8 p.m. contest against tournament-host Pacific University in Forest Grove. The Cru opens the 2023-24 home slate on Monday, November 27^th in a 5 p.m. contest against Schreiner University at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.