ABILENE, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team fell 98-73 to the Hardin-Simmons University Cowboys Saturday afternoon in Abilene. The Cru dropped to 13-6 on the season and 2-2 in American Southwest Conference action while the Cowboys improved to 11-9 on the season and 4-0 in conference action.
 
Hardin-Simmons opened the contest with a three-pointer but Ryan Pondant quickly answered with a jumper. The contest toggled back-and-forth until the Cowboys used a 5-0 and a 9-0 run to go ahead 26-14. The Cowboys held on to a substantial lead, going ahead by 20 with 3:46 to play and cruising to a 54-32 halftime lead.
 
UMHB made 12 field goals in the first half, draining a trio of three-pointers and five foul shots. The Cru tallied 10 rebounds and six assists in the half.
 
The Cowboys did not let up in the second half, leading by 20+ points halfway through the period and cruising to a 98-73 win.
 
Eli Beard finished the contest with 20 points, followed by Josh Goings with 14 and Maurice Pinnock with 11. Beard also led the Cru with five rebounds and two assists while Jerry Day, Jr. and Co Rose also recorded two assists. UMHB shot 40.0 percent in the contest with seven three-pointers and 18 foul shots.
 
Hardin-Simmons shot 52.8 percent in the contest with 13 three-pointers.
 
The Cru returns to action on Thursday, February 6^th in a 7:30 p.m. contest against the University of Texas at Dallas at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.