BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor basketball team surrendered a one-point overtime victory to George Fox University Sunday in Belton. The loss dropped the Cru to 4-7 while the Bruins improved to 5-3.
 
George Fox led 5-4 at the end of the first quarter and extended the lead with a quarter-opening three-pointer in the second. Rachel Okoye hit a layup to cut the gap back down to two before a Karlee Cronk layup and ensuing foul shot put the Cru up 9-8. George Fox quickly responded with a layup and the game playing back-and-forth from there. UMHB held a 21-16 lead with 1:42 left and held off the Bruins, going into halftime up 21-20.
 
Amillion Fowler led the Cru with five points in the half while Bruder and Okoye each added four.
 
The Cru jumped to a four-point lead in the third but the Bruins were persistent in attack, pulling back within two. UMHB maintained the lead through the quarter but George Fox answered in the fourth, opening with six unanswered to knot the game at 33. The Cru fought back, retaking the lead and extending it to four points with 3:26 to play. George Fox came out of the ensuing timeout with seven consecutive points to go ahead 45-42 with just more than a minute remaining.
 
Allie Uzzell hit a pair of free throws at 00:57 to pull the match within one and the Cru defense held, forcing a travel at 7.8, giving the Cru the ball back. Amillion Fowler drained one free throw to knot the contest at 45 and the Bruins turned the ball over, forcing overtime at 45-45.
 
Fowler had a team-high 11 points in regulation while Okoye added 10.
 
Okoye made a free throw at 4:39 to put the Cru back on top but the Bruins answered with a layup at 2:59 to retake the lead. George Fox hit a foul shot at 1:12 for a 48-46 lead before another Okoye free throw pulled the Cru back within one. Both teams exchanged turnovers with George Fox getting the ball back at 33.6 seconds. George Fox held the ball and did not give the Cru another chance, ending the contest in a 48-47 Bruin win.
 
Rachel Okoye led the Cru with 12 points, followed by Fowler with 11. Fowler also had a team-high eight rebounds, followed by Madyson Solis with seven. Fowler also led the Cru with six steals with Okoye adding five and Uzzell tallying three.
 
UMHB returns to action on Wednesday, December 17^th in an 11:30 a.m. contest against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.