BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team earned a 66-56 win over Texas Lutheran University Saturday in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 6-1 on the season while the Bulldogs fell to 5-2 overall. 

UMHB opened the game on a 9-3 run and held the lead but Texas Lutheran fought back, pulling within one with 3:33 to play in the frame. Jaycie Brisco hit a three-pointer to extend the gap before Rachel Okoye made a layup at 2:49 for a six-point margin. The game played back-and-forth from there with the Cru up 22-17 at the end of the first quarter. 

The Cru advanced to a 10-point lead with 6:52 in the second quarter and extended the gap to 20 off a 6-0 run late in the half. UMHB went into halftime up 41-23 with a 50 percent shooting percentage in the first two frames. 

The game held the double-digit margin through the third quarter with UMHB holding a 55-40 lead and sealing the 66-56 win with an 11-point fourth quarter. 

Jaycie Brisco led the Cru with 17 points in the contest while Katelen Brooks added 11 and Karlee Cronk tallied 10. UMHB shot 41.7 percent in the contest with 25 field goals and five three-pointers. Adyson James was the Cru's leading rebounder with 11 while Brisco added 10 for a double-double. 

UMHB held the high ground for the duration of the contest. The Cru scored 38 points in the paint with 17 fast break points and 13 points from the bench. 

The Cru returns to action next week in a pair of contests in Walla Walla, Washington. UMHB opens with a 5 p.m. contest on Thursday, December 12th at Whitman, followed with a Friday, December 13th contest at Whitworth.