BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team dropped a 49-45 decision to the University of Texas at Dallas Thursday evening in Belton. UMHB fell to 14-7 on the season while the Comets improved to 15-6 overall.
UMHB opened the game with a 9-1 run, with five different Crusaders contributing to the point total. The Comets fought back with a three-pointer at the 2:11 mark but
Amillion Fowler responded to put the Cru back up by seven with a jumper. Both teams exchanged baskets before back-to-back three-pointers from the Comets cut the Cru's lead to just one.
Karlee Cronk answered with a three-pointer with 00:27 to go and the Comets tied it off a driving layup and ensuing foul shot for a 15-15 knot after the first quarter.
UT Dallas held the Cru scoreless in the second quarter, scoring 10 points to give them a 25-15 lead after the first two quarters.
Amillion Fowler and
Jaycie Brisco led the Cru with four points while Okoye had five boards.
The third quarter played basket-for-basket with UMHB winning the frame 18-16.
Amillion Fowler opened the quarter with a jumper 19 seconds into the frame and the Comets quickly answered with a basket on the other end. The quarter toggled back and forth with the Comets holding a 41-33 lead headed into the fourth.
The final frame played scoreless until the 5:27 mark when
Adyson James banked a pair of foul shots for the Cru.
Jaycie Brisco added two more at 5:42 to pull the Cru within four before a three-pointer from Fowler cut the gap to just one. UT Dallas answered with a jumper but
Karlee Cronk answered to cut the lead again. Cierra Trigg made a three-pointer at 2:02 to go ahead by four but
Rachel Okoye mirrored with one for the Cru at 1:02. UT Dallas added one more three-pointer at the 00:36 mark for a 49-45 margin. Neither team was able to score again, ending the contest in a 49-45 UTD win.
Fowler led the Cru with 11 points, followed by
Josie Bruder with eight and
Rachel Okoye with seven. UMHB shot 35.4 percent in the contest with 20 points off turnovers and 17 points from the bench.
Adyson James led the Cru with nine total rebounds while Fowler added four assists and Brisco had three blocks.
UMHB returns to action on Thursday, February 13
th in a 5:30 p.m. contest at LeTourneau University in Longview.