WALLA WALLA, Wash. - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team earned a 76-70 win over Whitman College Friday evening in Walla Walla, anchored by Eli Beard's 38 points. The win improved the Cru totaling 8-1 on the season while the Blues fell to 2-5.
Both teams came out firing, hitting six consecutive three-pointers to open the contest. Eli Beard hit all three game-opening baskets for the Cru, adding a layup and ensuing foul shot at 15:16 for ten points in the first five minutes. Josh Goings followed with a layup and foul shot at 14:26 to put the Cru up by four. Beard added another three-pointer at 13:56 and UMHB held on to a two-possession lead until Whitman scored four unanswered points halfway through the frame to even the contest at 20.
The Cru answered with a layup from Engels (9:44), three-pointer from Beard (9:17) and jumper from Goings (8:01) to go ahead by seven. UMHB continued its streak with free throws from Beard and baskets from Goings and Donta Coady before the Blues broke the 13-point streak at the 5:56 mark. Whitman cut the lead back down to seven but UMHB held the high ground through the frame, going into halftime with a 44-37 lead. The Cru shot 51.2 percent in the first frame with a 71.43 percent from the arc, draining five threes in the first 20 minutes.
UMHB quickly regained the double-digit advantage to open the second half and held on to the substantial lead. The Blues cut the gap to six but the Cru answered with back-to-back threes from Beard and Coady to take a 12-point margin. UMHB stayed ahead by three possessions but Whitman used a 5-0 run in the final two minutes to cut the lead down to four with 38 seconds to play.
Beard added a pair of foul shots with 10 seconds to go before Josh Goings sealed the win with a steal seven seconds later. Beard totaled 38 points in the contest, going 12-15 from the field, 6-7 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-8 from the foul line to record an 86.67 shooting percentage on the night. Goings added 19 points while Ryan Pondant had a team-high six rebounds. Goings also added four assists with Beard tallying three.
UMHB took the lead early and did not trail again. The game tied three times with the Cru totaling 44 points in the paint and 24 points off turnovers. \
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, December 14th in a 3 p.m. (PT) contest against California Lutheran University in Walla Walla.
