ABILENE, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team earned the American Southwest Conference Runner Up title after falling to UT Dallas on a last-second shot Saturday evening in Abilene. 

Jordan Balderaz opened championship scoring, putting UT Dallas up by two with a layup at 18:56. Eli Beard and Jerry Day, Jr. followed that with back-to-back three-pointers to put the Cru up by four but the Comets responded to cut the gap to just one. Johnson put the Cru back on top by three at 15:34 but the Comets answered with the equalizer at the 14:48 mark.

UMHB followed that with a 6-0 run but the Comets answered again for a 14-14 knot at 12:19. The game saw four tied scores from there until UT Dallas used a 13-2 run to take a 37-26 lead with 2:48 left in the first half. Connor Zamiara made a layup at 1:58, followed by a pair of free throws from Johnson to cut the gap to seven. Johnson ended the half with a three-pointer at 00:15, pulling the Cru within four to end the first frame.

Johnson led the Cru with 17 first-half points, making six field goals and three baskets outside the arc.

UT Dallas opened the second half with a three-pointer but UMHB responded with baskets from Zamiara and Josh Goings to keep the game within five. Both teams continued to press as the Cru continued to gain ground on the Comets, pulling within three at the 14:33 mark and tying the game at 13:59 off a three-pointer from Eli Beard.

The Cru enjoyed a short lead but the Comets responded, knotting the contest at 60. UT Dallas took the lead from there but a three-pointer from Johnson at 5:37 gave UMHB a 67-65 margin. The Cru extended the lead with layups from Beard and Goings, holding a 71-65 margin with 4:39 to play.

The half played scoreless from there until the 2:22 mark when Austin Page made a layup and ensuing free throw for the Comets. UT Dallas pulled within one off a layup at the 1:48 mark but a pair of free throws from Goings put the Cru back up by three. Another Page foul shot and a layup from Goings had UMHB with a 75-71 lead with 28 seconds to play. Johnson extended the lead to six with a pair of free throws but a three-pointer from Nick Donnelly pulled the Comets within three at 00:11.

UT Dallas sealed the win with a layup at 00:09 and a buzzer-beater from Donovan Suiter to earn the 78-77 win over the Cru.

Johnson led the Cru with 25 points while Eli Beard added 24. UMHB shot 49.2 percent in the contest with 10 three-pointers. Johnson also added team-highs in rebounds (eight), assists (five) and blocks (two).

The contest saw nine tied scores with eight lead changes. UMHB totaled 34 points in the paint with 18 points off turnovers and 11 second-chance points.

Josiah Johnson and Eli Beard also earned All-ASC Tournament honors for the Cru. UT Dallas earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show will air on Monday, February 26th at 12 p.m. on NCAA.com.