BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team held on to an early 18-point lead to earn an 80-77 win over Sul Ross State University Thursday evening in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 10-9 on the season while the Lobos fell to 11-10.
 
Sul Ross State opened the game on a 6-0 run before UMHB's defense held the Lobos scoreless for the next 9:16 of play. A three-pointer from Eli Beard at the 17:46 mark sparked a 24-0 run for the Cru. Beard opened the run with a three-pointer and two foul shots, followed by a jumper from Josiah Johnson.
 
Beard led the Cru with nine points in the run while Zach Engels added five and Johnson and Ryan Pondant both scored four. LD Butler added two points to the Cru's double-digit run before Sul Ross thwarted the run with a pair of free throws at the 8:45 mark. Both teams exchanged threes before the Lobos added four more points off back-to-back baskets from Myles Amason.  
 
Sul Ross cut the margin to ten points at the 3:52 mark but Connor Zamiara responded with four unanswered points as UMHB went into halftime with a 43-28 lead.
 
Beard led the Cru with 11 first-half points, followed by Zach Engels with 10. UMHB shot 40 percent in the half with 12 field goals on 30 attempts.
 
The Cru led by as many as 22 points early in the second half before the Lobos used a 10-0 run opened at the 12:12 mark to cut the Cru margin to 11 points with 9:41 to play in the contest. Ryan Pondant broke the UMHB drought with a jumper. The Lobos responded quickly but a three-pointer and ensuing foul shot from Johnson at 7:49 put the Cru back ahead by 15.
 
The Lobos cut the gap to single-digits off a pair of free throws from Gabe Sanchez at the 5:31 mark. Johnson mirrored with two foul shots for another double-digit lead but the Lobos responded again to cut the gap to nine. Play went basket-for-basket from there with the Cru holding a 78-70 lead with 2:19 to play in the second half.
 
Bryson  Laird hit a three-pointer for the Lobos at the 1:45 mark before Zyrin Brantley made a pair of foul shots at 1:00 before Laird hit a jumper at 00:40 to pull the game within one. Johnson made a pair of free throws with 19.1 seconds left to put UMHB up by three points and the Lobos last-second shot went wide, giving UMHB the 80-77 win.
 
Johnson led the Cru with 23 points while Eli Beard added 15 and Ryan Pondant had 13. UMHB shot 37.5 percent in the contest with 24 field goals and six three-pointers. Johnson finished with a double-double, adding 12 boards with three assists and three steals. UMHB forced the Lobos into 13 turnovers with 10 total steals. The Cru scored 26 points in the paint and 31 points off the bench with nine fast break points and 17 points off turnovers.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, February 3^rd in a 3 p.m. contest against Howard Payne University at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.