AUSTIN, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half to earn an 89-83 win over Concordia University Texas Thursday night in Austin. The win improved the Cru to 2-1 on the season while the Tornados opened at 0-1.
 
The first half played back-and-forth until a 7-0 run from the Cru gave UMHB a five-point lead. UMHB held onto the high ground until the 12:45 mark when Caleb Golden hit a jumper to put the Tornados back on top by one.  CTX maintained that lead, going ahead by as many as eight points before Eli Beard and Ryan Pondant combined for six points to cut the gap at 7:38. The Tornados pulled ahead again, taking a nine-point lead but UMHB continued to chip away, dwindling the gap down to three. Concordia Texas responded again and maintained the margin, going into halftime ahead by ten points.
 
Concordia Texas opened the second half on an offensive surge, leading by as many as 13 points early in the frame. UMHB fought back with 18 unanswered points to take a 57-52 lead on the Tornados with Beard and Josh Goings each contributing five points in the run. Joey Ramirez broke the drought for the Tornados at the 11:10 mark and Concordia Texas continued to fight, pulling within five points with just under ten minutes to play. UMHB stayed ahead, leading by 14 points with five minutes to go in the contest. The Cru held on from there, cruising to an 89-83 win.
 
Eli Beard led the Cru with 24 points while Ryan Pondant, Zachary Engels and Co Rose each added 14. Josh Goings also finished in double-digits with 10 points as the Cru shot 50 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. Pondant also recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds while Rose led the Cru with five assists. Daniel Hutson was the Cru's block leader with two with Rose adding a team-high three steals.
 
The game saw 44 points in the paint and 18 points off turnovers as the Cru scored 20 points from the bench. The scored tied three total times with four lead changes in the matchup.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, November 16^th in the 2024-25 home opener. The Cru will take on Texas Lutheran University in a 6 p.m. contest at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton. UMHB is also collecting stuffed animals for its annual toy toss game on Saturday with all donations thrown onto the court donated to McLane Children's Hospital.