BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team came roaring back in regulation to force overtime against the University of Texas at Dallas, outscoring the Comets 17-11 in overtime for an 83-77 win. UMHB improved to 17-4 on the season and 13-2 in American Southwest Conference action while the Comets fell to 18-4 overall and 13-2 in league play.   
 
UT Dallas scored on their second offensive possession before Josiah Johnson evened the contest with a layup at the 18:12 mark. Kyle Poerschke put the Comets ahead again at 17:31 but Nate Stolz responded with a three-pointer at 16:14 to give UMHB its first lead. UTD responded again on the next possession for a two-point lead and held advantage until Zachary Engels hit a big three-pointer to tie the contest at 12. The Comets responded again to regain the lead and held advantage for the duration of the first half.
 
Josiah Johnson led the Cru with 12 points while Zachary Engels added five. UMHB shot 28.6 percent in the first half with 10 points in the paint and nine points off the bench.
 
The Comets took a double-digit lead at the beginning of the second half and toggled between an eight and 11-point advantage before the Comets went up by 15 with 13:46 to play. UMHB went on a 6-0 run before giving up a pair of foul shots and followed that with another six-point run to cut the gap to six points with 9:14 remaining. UTD held advantage but UMHB fought hard, 9-0 run to tie the game at 66 on a pair of made foul shots from Ty Prince. The Comets missed a three pointer as time expired in regulation, taking the contest into overtime knotted at 66.
 
Nick Donnelly put the Comets on top with a three-pointer 31 seconds into overtime. Luke Feely responded with a jumper before Kyle Poerschke hit another jumper for a 71-68 Comet lead. Ty Prince came down with a defensive rebound at the 3:11 mark and assisted a Josiah Johnson layup to pull the Cru within one. D.J. Kane and Kyle Wright had back-to-back steals for baskets to put the Cru up 76-71 with 1:45 left before Luke Feely hit a pair of foul shots for a seven-point lead. Hunter Stevens hit a three-pointer at 00:55 to pull within three before Ty Prince hit a jumper at 00:27 to put the Cru back up by five. UT Dallas responded again before taking the game to the foul line. Kyle Wright drained a pair of shots for another five-point advantage. Luke Feely added one more free throw, giving the Cru an 83-77 win.
 
Johnson led the Cru with 21 points while Ty Prince added 16, Nathan Stolz had 14 and Zachary Engels scored 11. UMHB shot 45.2 percent in the contest, making 28 field goals. Luke Feely led all Crusaders with nine rebounds while Prince and Johnson each had a team-high three assists.
 
Johnson also broke the American Southwest Conference record for free throws made in a career with 516 total made foul shots.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, February 11^th in a 3 p.m. contest against University of the Ozarks at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.