MARSHALL, Texas – University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball dropped a close match to the Cowgirls of Hardin-Simmons in the American Southwest Conference semifinal game Friday evening.
 
The first quarter began with two minutes of possession switches without any sunken shots. Remi Adeleke changed that when she broke the scoring barrier with a layup assisted by Rachel Okoye. The Cowgirls quickly responded, draining a jumper to knot the game at two. The match continued in a back-and-forth battle, with the highest lead of the quarter only being three. Josie Bruder and Adeleke snapped this lead with a pair of layups to regain the 10-9 upper hand that was shortly turned into a tied 11-11 game with 1:42 left to play. Bruder added four free throws to take UMHB up 14-11. Two HSU jumpers and one for Okoye closed out the quarter with the Cru in the lead 16-15.
 
Josie Bruder continued to be a key scorer in the second quarter, opening with five quick points off a three pointer and a layup with 8:19 left in the half. The Cowgirls responded with two, but Bruder rejected this response by adding two more herself. With the lead cut to 23-21, Amillion Fowler hit a three-pointer assisted by Rachel Okoye. At 2:40, Bruder returned to the foul line and added two good free throws for the 30-24 lead. Fowler added two free throws of her own at 2:23, extending the score to 32-24. Bruder went in for a layup at 1:27 making it and getting fouled in the process, taking her to the line for one free throw, moving it to a 35-27 game. The half was closed out by a Cowgirls' layup, going into the half with a 35-29 Cru lead.
 
Josie Bruder led the Cru in the first half with a point total of 18, followed by Remi Adeleke and Rachel Okoye who each tallied six. Okoye led with six boards while Adeleke added five herself. UMHB had a team 42.9% shooting percentage in the half.
 
Hardin-Simmons struck first to start the second half with a layup, but Rachel Okoye answered with one of her own in the next possession to keep the six-point deficit. At 8:06, Remi Adeleke put up two, followed by a Cowgirls layup, before Okoye added another to make it a 41-35 match. HSU made it a four-point ball game with two free throws at 6:44, but Adyson James took her turn at the line draining two of her own. James scored next on a turn-around layup, assisted by Jaycie Brisco putting the Cru ahead 45-37. The Cowgirls closed in on the Cru with a layup, cutting the lead to 45-41, but Brisco quickly answered with a layup of her own. Amillion Fowler and Karlee Cronk added two each to extend UMHB's lead to 51-44 with 1:48 left in the third quarter. With 0:35 to go, Fowler made a layup while drawing a foul, adding the extra-point free throw. The Cowgirls scored last in the third, going into the final quarter with a score of 54-48 in UMHB's favor.
 
Hardin-Simmons opened the fourth quarter cutting the Cru lead to one with a three pointer and a layup to make it a 54-53 score. With 6:51 to play, the Cowgirls jumped ahead 55-54, taking their first lead of the half. Josie Bruder went back to the foul line making two, continuing her 100% free throw run taking the Cru back up 56-55. The game was knotted back up at 57 off an HSU jumper with 4:23 left to play. At 3:14, Jaycie Brisco added a rebounded tip-in layup to take the score to 59-57. Rachel Okoye extended UMHB's lead with a made free throw. As the game came to its final minutes, HSU made it a one-point 60-59 game. Jacqueline Berry was sent to the line for two free throws with 25 seconds remaining in the game with the opportunity to either tie or take the lead, but both were missed. Brisco added a free throw, followed by a Cowgirls free throw, before yet another one by Josie Bruder. At 0:09, HSU made a layup, followed by a free throw to close the game with the last-minute 63-62 win.

Josie Bruder was the leading scorer of the game with 21 points. Jaycie Brisco, Remi Adeleke, Rachel Okoye, and Karlee Cronk each added seven rebounds.

UMHB finished at 15-10 on the season and 3-5 in American Southwest Conference action. Hardin-Simmons advances to the ASC Championship match tomorrow in Marshall.