ANGOLA, Indiana – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team opened the 2024-25 season at reigning national champion Trine University Friday evening in Angola. The Cru fell 98-70 to the Thunder, opening the season at 0-1 while Trine opened at 1-0.
 
Eli Beard opened the game with a layup to put the Cru on top before the Thunder responded with a six-point run to take high ground. Ryan Pondant cut the gap to two before the Thunder answered with 16 unanswered points to take a substantial lead. Beard finally broke the drought for the Cru with a jumper at the 9:58 mark before Trine added another 8-0 run.
 
Zachary Engels hit a layup with 6:35 left to play in the half, followed by a jumper from Beard to put the Cru in double-digits. Trine held a substantial lead through the half, going into halftime with a 43-19 lead.
 
Pondant opened the second half with a jumper and both teams exchanged scores until the Beard hit back-to-back three-pointers. Trine responded again and held a double-digit lead for the duration of the half, ending the game in a 98-70 win.
 
UMHB shot 37.2 percent from the field, led by Eli Beard with 23 points. Ryan Pondant (15 points), Co Rose (11 points) and B.J. Anderson (10 points) all added double-digits en route to the Cru's 70 points. Rose also added a team-high four assists while Anderson had two blocks and Josh Goings added three steals. Anderson was also the Cru's leading rebounder, bringing down 11 boards for a double-double in his first game with the Cru.
 
Trine shot 52.9 percent in the contest, making 37 shots from the field and 13 from beyond the arc. The Thunder added 40 rebounds with 27 assists, 11 blocks and 12 steals.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, November 9^th in a 12 p.m. (CT) contest against Heidelberg University in Angola.