CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team earned an overtime win over University of the Ozarks Saturday afternoon in Clarksville. The win improved the Cru to 13-9 on the season and 8-6 in American Southwest Conference action while the Eagles fell to 9-14 overall and 4-10 in league play.
Eli Beard opened the contest with five points before the Eagles got on the board with a three-pointer from Josh Ukpe. The first half played back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than three points until the 10:18 mark when Ozarks took a four-point lead off a layup from Justice Marmara. The Eagles held the margin, going ahead by as many as nine points before a pair of free throws from Zach Engels gave UMHB the line at 40-39.
Ozarks regained the lead off a jumper from Tim Eldredge but the Cru went back on top thanks to a pair of foul shots from Josiah Johnson. Eldredge again responded for the Eagles but a jumper from Eli Beard put the Cru back on top with 49 seconds left in the first. Justice Marmara answered for Ozarks, making a layup at the 00:31 mark and following with a free throw for a 46-44 UO lead into halftime.
Johnson led the Cru with 11 first-half points while Eli Beard added 10 and Josh Goings put up eight. Pondant was the rebound leader in the first half, bringing down four boards while Goings added two steals.
UMHB quickly tied the contest at 48 in the second half. The game played back-and-forth until the Eagles used a 13-2 run to gain a 10-point lead. UMHB fought back, pulling the game within two but Ozarks continued to score, extending the gap once again.
Zach Engels put the Cru back on top with a layup at the 2:05 mark before the Eagles took another lead off a pair of foul shots from Adam Lopez. Josiah Johnson hit a three-pointer at 1:19 to put the Cru back on top but the Eagles regained the high ground off a pair of foul shots from Jacques Njeanwobe. Johnson hit another three-pointer at 00:46 but Tim Eldredge responded with a jumper at 00:28 to send the contest into overtime knotted at 90.
The Eagles jumped to a quick five-point lead in the extra period before Jerry Day, Jr. cut the gap with a three-pointer at 4:28. Ozarks held onto the lead until the 2:00 mark when Day hit a foul shot to tie the contest at 99. Eldredge responded for UO with a jumper but Eli Beard answered with a three-pointer to give UMHB a one-point lead. Josh Upke hit a pair of foul shots with 56 seconds left to put the Eagles back on top but a free throw from Day evened the contest at 103. Josiah Johnson sealed the win for the Cru, draining a pair of free throws at 00:03 for the 105-103 win.
Johnson led the Cru with 30 points while Eli Beard added 27. Josh Goings put up 13 points for the Cru with Jerry Day, Jr. adding 12. UMHB shot 43.9 percent in the contest, draining 13 three-pointers with 34 free throws. Johnson also led the Cru with nine rebounds and five assists while Goings added a team-high six steals.
UMHB returns to action on Thursday, February 15th in a 7:30 p.m. contest against McMurry University at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.
