BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team earned an 85-78 win over Berry College Tuesday afternoon in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 6-5 overall while the Vikings moved to 2-7.
The first half played basket-for-basket until the Vikings pulled away with a 5-0 run at the 14:15 mark to take a 13-6 lead. Berry held that margin until
Connor Zamiara hit a jumper to cut the gap to one at 7:22. UMHB took its first lead of the game off a jumper from
Kyle Wright at 7:05 but Berry responded quickly and both teams continued to exchange baskets on either end. Berry pulled away late in the half with an 8-0 run, leading by as many as 10 points and going into the half up 40-31.
Josiah Johnson led the Cru with nine points in the first half while
Eli Beard,
Payton Brooks and
Kyle Wright each added four. UMHB shot 38.5 percent in the first half with 18 points in the paint and 15 points off the bench.
Berry opened the second half on the high ground but a jumper from
LD Butler at the 15:47 mark sparked an offensive surge for the Cru.
Josiah Johnson made a three-pointer at the 15:08 mark before
Eli Beard hit a jumper at 14:24 and a three-pointer at 13:58 for a five-point Cru lead. UMHB held a one-possession lead until 10:10 when
Ryan Pondant made a layup for a seven-point margin.
The Vikings tied it up at 58 with 6:37 to play but a layup from Johnson put the Cru back on top where UMHB stayed through regulation, sealing the 85-78 win.
Johnson led the Cru with 26 points while
Eli Beard added 22 and
Ryan Pondant put up 12. UMHB shot 39.1 percent in the contest, scoring 27 points off turnovers, 38 points in the paint and 37 points off the bench. Pondant completed his double-double with 10 boards while Beard added seven. UMHB totaled nine assists, led by Wright, Johnson and
LD Butler with two each while Johnson also had a team-high six steals. UMHB outrebounded the Vikings 41-33, forcing them into 24 turnovers off 17 total steals from the Cru.
UMHB returns to action on Sunday, December 31
st in a 3 p.m. exhibition contest at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
